The Controversy Of Commercialized Schools

The Controversy of Commercialized Schools

“If I meet my reading goal I get a free pizza?” “Sweet!” I thought to myself as my first grade teacher handed out a Pizza Hut Book It! brochure to all the kids in our class. For the next four years, it was awesome. I read my books and my teacher gave me a Book It! slip, good for one free personal pan pizza. Not surprisingly, Pizza Hut became a familiar family stop until my siblings and I made it through grade school. Pizza Hut is only one of many well-known corporations that have penetrated public schools. In fact, commercialism has crept into the educational arena on many fronts from advertisements plastered in hallways, cafeterias and school buses, to sponsored curricular materials in classrooms.

As a first grader earning my Book Its! it seemed to me the mission of Pizza Hut and my school were the same, to get kids excited about reading. Time and research have led me to believe otherwise. Commercialism in public education negatively shapes school curriculum, promotes consumerism, and is an unacceptable response to inadequate school funding.

Negative Effects on School Curriculum

“Commercial activities now shape the structure of the school day, influence the content of the school curriculum, and determine whether children have access to a variety of technologies” (Molnar). This statement reflects the concern of many educators and parents that commercialism in public education has the power and potential to negatively shape school curriculum. Channel one, a daily ad filled news program designed for grades 6-12, is one example of a corporation that by contract has

Commercialism in public education however is an unacceptable response to inadequate school funding. As corporate dollars are eagerly sought there are many negative side effects that follow. For instance, schools are often deceived by corporate promises of continued cash flow if a partnership is formed. Who is really making the money? A great example to prove this point is the Box Tops for education program. For every Box Top collected by students the school receives a 10 cent reimbursement from the cereal company. On the other hand, the cereal company receives a profit of up to five dollars per box on the cereals that parents purchased to supposedly support the school. Another example is the collection of Campbell’s soup labels which once collected can be used as cash to purchase items for the school from a Campbell’s catalogue. However, a $300 camcorder from the Campbell’s redemption program catalogue would require the collection of nearly $33,000 dollars spent on soup in order to have a sufficient number of labels to make the purchase (ccfc). Rather than truly helping the schools with funding deficits often times corporations simply use students as a means to persuade parents to purchase specific items that may appear to benefit the