School meals group divided over legal counsel, obesity
July 09, 2013 | 09:04 AM
The School Nutrition Association’s decision last week to replace Marshall Matz, its longtime outside legal counsel, with another firm has caused an open rift within the organization and the revelation that the group has been divided over how to handle the growing national concern about obesity.
On July 2, SNA announced that it would end its more than 30-year relationship with Matz and his firm, now known as OFW Law, and hire Barnes & Thornburg LLP, already serving as the group’s general counsel, to represent it on legislative matters.
On Sunday, a former SNA president distributed a letter by email questioning the decision and noting that the group had not taken Matz’s advice to become leaders in addressing the obesity issue.
Jane Wynn
“Very few SNA members participated in this decision,” wrote Jane Wynn, a retired Broward County, Fla., school food service director who was president of SNA, then called the American School Food Service Association, from 1987 to 1988.
Wynn said in the letter that appropriate SNA committees in charge of legislation were not consulted on the decision, and in a telephone interview Monday said there had been “shock all over the country” and that members want to know the basis for the decision.
Asked to comment on Wynn’s letter, an SNA spokeswoman said in an email Monday that the organization “stands by the decision and the statement issued last week.”
“The selection committee considered proposals from six different firms, and interviewed partners from four firms,” said Diane Pratt-Heavner, SNA director of media relations. “SNA has received very positive feedback from members regarding the process and the selection.”
In her letter, Wynn wrote that SNA had been associated with Matz since he worked for the Senate Selection Committee on Nutrition and Human Needs chaired by Sen. George McGovern, D-S.D. She also noted that Matz had helped the organization expand school meals programs, fend off congressional attempts to turn the programs into block grants in the states and had helped get SNA members appointed to high administration positions.
Wynn said Matz had helped turn the school food service directors’ group into a “white hat” organization concerned first of all with the health and welfare of children, but in an interview said she is worried that the professional association she knew is being turned into a trade association.
Wynn also said that SNA had rejected Matz’s advice to get out front on the obesity issue after First Lady Michelle Obama championed that cause and Congress passed the Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act, which changed what foods can be served in regular school meals and in a la carte lines and vending machines.
SNA supported the act but has urged the Agriculture Department to go slow on implementation, saying the new rules have led to a reduction in the number of students eating school lunch.
“We were out front and a leader when we were expanding our programs, but we are on defense when it comes to obesity and health,” Wynn wrote.
“When obesity started to gain national attention, SNA rejected Marshall’s idea to focus our foundation on obesity and jump to the front of the issue. The White House, USDA and allied organizations now see us as a barrier to improving the quality of [child nutrition] programs. That is just terrible.”
SNA President Sandra Ford said last week that SNA wanted new legal leadership in advance of congressional reauthorization of child nutrition programs.
But Wynn said, “We need Marshall back for the 2015 reauthorization, which has already started with the introduction of legislation this year and the recent House hearing on child nutrition.”
“We also really need to think about where SNA is headed,” Wynn said. “For SNA to be effective for our own members, we must be about the children we serve. Our power comes from our advocacy for children. We are losing that reputation and firing Marshall, Roger [Szemraj, another OFW lawyer] and OFW will further hurt our effectiveness and our credibility.”
Matz declined to comment on the issue.
Wynn urged the recipients of her email to contact SNA staff and the board with their views on the situation.
SNA’s annual meeting will be held in Kansas City July 14 to 17.
