WarPath
I am on the warpath and I am pissed off. I just found out that today my son was invited to an all school assembly given by McDonalds. McDonalds is so interested in getting kids to read (what their menus?) that Ronald McDonald in all his finery is going to schools and doing what amounts to a magic show and promising the children if they read 10 books and get them marked off by their teacher then (big surprise here) they get a coupon for a free hamburger. Now, let's just forget about the fact that the second ingredient in a McDonalds hamburger BUN is high fructose corn syrup and look at what this really is about. What this really is about is buying the loyalty of unsuspecting children into the McDonalds brand, using Ronald McDonald instead of the big arches (because that would simply be too in your face). If McDonalds can nab my 6 year old then they've got a customer for life and, if, as a pro-McDonalds reading program article puts it ("McDonald's intent is to associate its mascot, the clown Ronald McDonald, with preschoolers' emotions toward learning to read, and to raise awareness of Ronald as a brand icon among kids."), they can nab the positive emotions related to reading of my 6 year olds psyche then, by Goddess, they've got a McDonalds customer who will always associate Happy Meals with being happy. What upsets me most about this, however, is not that the school allowed it, not that they fell victim, willingly, to McDonalds propaganda but that I was not notified as a parent that this was going to happen, that after the fact I was told about it by my child and that I had no option to opt my child out of it. Big corporate politics at work in your local public school my friends. It sucks.
Comments
I just ended up here several links in from a blog I read regularly, and though I typically don't comment on blogs my "first time", I just had to say--I couldn't agree with you more. Great blog!
Posted by: Psycho Kitty | January 5, 2005 8:11 PM
Hi there, Ennis sent me to you...
" Big corporate politics at work in your local public school my friends. It sucks."
No, a busy and clueless principal, or whoever organizes all-school things at your kid's school, probably the Parents' association or Site Council or whoever does these things.
What you do is complain effectively. You call the school and ask who organized the McDonald's presentation. Then you call them and you thank them for the work in bringing something to the school, and for supporting reading, and THEN you say, "But I do not want my child exposed to McDonald's, [or any corporate purveyor, or meat restaurants, or whatever]. You thank them again for their contribution to the school, and ask if you can brainstorm some ideas to bring education to your school that is more in line with your family's values.
FYI, I'd be mad too. I eat meat, and Mickey D's isn't totally heinous, but this is inappropriate.
Posted by: Liz Ditz | January 6, 2005 11:18 AM
A few months ago some parents and myself got together and did a presentation to the school's PTA discussing the, what we consider, great amounts of sugar given out in our school as rewards. We were granted and funded a new committee called the Healthy Choices Committee where we provide alternatives to sugary snacks and treats provided at school. This McDonalds thing was pretty surprising to all of us since there was no mention of it as a program given to parents or the committee. I emailed the princpal last night. I did not say I was happy that they are supporting reading :) and I did ask who approved the venture and why I wasn't notified as a parent it was going to take place. I haven't heard a response yet. Once I find out who initiated this program, myself and the other parents on the HCC will likely get involved in discussions about it. I own up to my email not being the nicest, I was mad... This morning I asked me son to make a deal with me... if he'd decline the program in school today, I would create a program for him at home. We agreed on a program this morning and he said he would decline the bookmark. I'm anxiously awaiting 2:30 to see what he ended up deciding to do. Thanks for stopping by (though I don't know who Ennis is :>).
Posted by: Julie | January 6, 2005 11:56 AM
Ennis sent me an email, cause he knows I like to write about school issues, and also posted himself at his group blog,
http://triptronix.net/ishbadiddle/archives/2005/01/06/16.33.13/
Posted by: liz | January 8, 2005 7:28 PM