| Commercial Influences on
Children in School August 1997 |
Healthy School/Business/Community Partnerships A year ago, in a goal setting session with her staff, Principal Karen Garrison of A.C. Davis High School in Yakima set a lofty goal of having a multi-media technology lab in her nearly 1,800 student high school. A lofty goal indeed since there was no money in the budget for such a worthy project! But, that didn't stop the dedicated Davis group. An action plan was formed, a 4-year implementation schedule was set, and before too long Garrison and her action planning team were developing proposals and completing grant applications. After all, to bring that level of technology to Davis High School would cost about $160,000, and in these days of dwindling education funding there is not enough money for even the basics let alone these types of extras. The group targeted established Davis partners with an offer to support learning, expand the horizons of Davis students, and become a part of a resource center for the community. The partners quickly realized that they could become a part of the technology dream for Davis. Providence Yakima Medical Center, the A.C. Davis PTSA, the Yakima Schools Foundation, and the Petrie Foundation all pledged funds to help make the dream a reality. But the biggest boost of all came from the Downtown Rotary in Yakima. After hearing Garrison's proposal, the group pledged $47,500 (more than enough to cover the first year's costs!) to the project. "Our goal with the first phase of this project is to have a multi-media computer lab at the school this fall (1997) that is available to the students during the day and to the community in the evenings and on occasional weekends," said Garrison. "Students need to be able to work with informational technology in order to be successful in their future jobs. But we need to remember that for many families in our community, a computer in the home is a luxury they can't afford. By offering the use of the lab to the community the students can share their knowledge about the world of technology with their families and we are all just a little bit smarter because of it." Recognizing a need, establishing a goal, making a plan and, with partners in the community, bringing that plan to fruition (just because it's the right thing to do) — that is the real definition of healthy school/business/community partnerships. Forms of Commercialism* Consumers Union has categorized types of commercialism in schools as follows: In-School AdsAdvertisers place ads where students will see them -- on school buses, in the hallways, gym, counseling office, and lunchroom. They show up in lavatories and on book covers. In addition to advertising signs and wall displays, advertisers bring hundreds of thousands of product coupons and samples into the school buildings all over the country. Ads in Classroom Materials and Programs Advertising signs and logos also show up in classrooms. Television commercials are broadcast daily to over eight million public school students via the controversial ‘news’ program called Channel One. This programming, with very little breaking news, is a vehicle for two minutes of fast-paced commercials aimed at a captive teen audience. By requiring students to watch ads in school, the school gets the loan of video monitors in each classroom. Corporate-Sponsored Educational Materials and Programs Teachers are inundated with free or inexpensive curriculum materials created and distributed by corporations and trade associations. These materials may be biased or incomplete and/or commercial. They take the form of teacher guides, videotapes, software, books, posters, workbooks, or other teaching aids. Corporate-Sponsored Contests and Incentive Programs Students and teachers often get the chance to win prizes by selling commercial products (as ‘fund-raisers’) or by entering commercially-sponsored contests. The company gets demographic information for its marketing campaign as well as free exposure in the classroom, during assemblies, and in the school newsletters. Corporate-Sponsored Teacher Training Corporations and trade associations sponsor free or low-cost teacher training where teachers are given materials for the year on a subject, such as science. Teachers attend summer workshops and receive in-service training that is often biased. *Adapted from Butler-Wall, A Parent Guide to Commercialism, 1997. Reprinted with permission from The Center for Commercial-Free Public Education For More Information: THE CENTER for Commercial-Free Public Education Consumers Union Citizens' Campaign for Commercial-Free Schools What Do You Think? "Many of the incentive programs for reading and athletic performance which I have seen use rewards which I do not necessarily approve of -- (for example, coupons for fast food)..." --parent. "I worry that corporate sponsored schools will facilitate schools of corporate thought...Children are inundated on a daily basis with things to spend money on. I think schools should be a haven in which they learn to make money by working for positive social change." -- high school student. "Every aspect of our society is for sale. Our kids should not be. If the corporations who advertise want to help, let them donate directly. Don't sell out kids. Push for ample money in the state general fund..." -- parent Further Reading Bond, Lisa, Brita Butler-Wall, Diane Morrison. Report on Commercial Activities and Advertising in the Seattle Public Schools. Seattle, WA: Seattle Council of PTSA. 1997. Butler-Wall, Brita. "A Parent Guide to Commercialism in Schools." 1997. Oakland, CA: The Center for Commercial-Free Public Education. Consumers Union. " Captive Kids: A Report on Commercial Pressures on Kids at School." 1995. Yonkers, NY: Consumers Union Education Services. Fox, Roy F. "Harvesting Minds: How TV Commercials Control Kids." 1996. Westport, CN: Praeger. Hoynes, William. "News for a Captive Audience: An Analysis of Channel One." Extra! Vol. 10, No. 3, May/June, 1997. Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting (FAIR). Kaplan, George R. "Profits R Us: Notes on the Commercialization of America's Schools." Kaplan Special Report, Nov. 1996. Bloomington, Ind.: Phi Delta Kappan. Molnar, Alex. "Giving Kids the Business: The Commercialization of America's Schools." 1996. Boulder, CO: Westview/Harper Collins. National PTA. "Commercialism in Our Schools." Our Children, March/April, 1997. Stead, Deborah. "Commercialism in the Classroom." The New York Times, Jan. 5, 1997: Education Life Section 4A. U.S. Department of Education Strong Families, Strong Schools: Building Community Partnerships for Learning. Sept. 1994. U.S. Department of Education. Milwaukee Principles for Corporate Involvement in the Schools (1990) School-business relationships based on sound principles can contribute to high quality education. However, compulsory attendance confers on educators an obligation to protect the welfare of their students and the integrity of the learning environment. Therefore, when working together, schools and businesses must ensure that educational values are not distorted in the process. Positive school-business relationships should be ethical and structured in accordance with all eight of the following principles:
Be sure to watch the amusing, thought-provoking documentary on consumerism called ‘Affluenza’ on PBS this Fall. See how advertisers target kids at school. The documentary will air on September 15 on KCTS. Check your local station for air date, or call (206) 443-6782 to arrange a showing for your PTA. NPTA Resolution(Adopted by the 1990 NPTA convention delegates) COMMERCIAL EXPLOITATION OF STUDENTS IN SCHOOL WHEREAS, The Objects of the National PTA address the need to protect all children and youth and to meet their educational and other welfare needs and the 1989-90 Legislative Directives of the National PTA on Children's Television Programming support federal legislation and regulations to limit advertising during children's TV viewing hours; and WHEREAS: The National PTA in Executive Committee (March 1989) suggests that corporations for the same concern for enhancing the education of children as the PTA could serve students better if they would provide technology and high quality programs without demanding direct commercial return on the investment; and WHEREAS: The National PTA supports private sector/public school relationships and technology which improve the instructional program but oppose any provision which requires children to watch television commercials as a condition of their instruction; and WHEREAS: The concept of students being required by business to watch commercials or read advertising as a condition of corporate donations to schools has been opposed by the National PTA, the National Association of State Boards of Education, the National Education Association, the American Federation of Teachers, the National Association of Public Television Stations, the American Association of Secondary School Principals, Action for Children's Television and the National Council for the Social Studies; and WHEREAS: Sheila Harty stated in Education Leadership, V. 47 No. 4, December 1989-January 1990: As a marketplace of ideas, the school should offer a balance and diversity of views, not free access for those who pay entrance...and first with significant access to capital can skew social, economic, or political debate through sustained education or media campaigns; now therefore be it Resolved, That the National PTA provide information to its constituent bodies so that they can present informative programs about the dangers to children and the implications of any business exerting so much power to influence the curriculum of the schools of this country and the opinions of so many students; and be it further Resolved, That the National PTA prepare a mailing to its constituent bodies of relevant information on commercial sector influence in our schools, including the National PTA Executive Committee action adopted in March, 1989, to be sent to its constituent bodies and urge them to give it the widest possible dissemination to local school boards, state legislators, state boards of education and parents; and be it further Resolved, That the National PTA and its constituent bodies seek and support state and federal legislation and/or regulations that would protect students from exploitation by prohibiting a business from bringing into the school any program that would require students to view advertising or to study specific instructional programs as a condition of the school receiving a donation of money or donation or loan of equipment. What PTAs Can Do |
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