Random thoughts on commercialism in schools

Chris M. Worsnop

The debate about commercialism in schools is not restricted to media educators. Any attack on public education is everybody's business. There is a general, neo-liberal, world-wide movement to shift all budgets now in public hands, such as education and health, into private pockets. Part of the rhetoric used to justify commercial incursions into schools is to accuse detractors as "undemocratic", "anti-capitalist", "unpatriotic", "liberal", "socialist". Any way that money can be put into public education without raising taxes is attractive to politicians, who spin it into a message convincing voters they are saving money and keeping taxes down. Restricting the discourse to economics and accounting jargon is a common device for avoiding educational debate.

How far should we be happy to go down this road?

Position #1 No distance at all

Governments should fund education properly and make it unnecessary for schools to accept handouts and enticements from commercial interests. Democracy that works.

Position #2 Only a little bit

Commercial interests who wish to donate money for education anonymously should be welcomed, but they should not be allowed to use their contribution in any self-promotional manner. Altruism as its own reward.

Position #3 Just a little bit further

Commercial support could be accepted:donors could be allowed to display their corporate name without making any other conditions for promotion of their name or products. (e.g. Consolidated Widgets breakfast program)

Position #4 A long way

In return for their dollars, commercial interests should get access to marketing opportunities afforded by schools which contain a predictable demographic of consumers, who also influence major consumer decisions within their families. (e.g., Pepsi Cola exclusive contracts)

Position #5 The whole nine yards

Commercial interests should be allowed promotional access to the students they perceive as their market during school time. (e.g., Channel X)

Position #6 Corporate schools

1. What is their position on fostering positive relationships between media education and media industry? As soon as any relationship threatens to compromise an educator's independence, it has gone too far.
2. Partnerships:where to draw the line? No further than position #3 above.
3. Judge current media partnerships - Channel One is unacceptable because it shows ads to a captive student audience during tax-supported school time, while pretending that its business is something else. Media Matters, Cable in the Classroom, and Scanning TV have shortcomings, but schools and teachers make a conscious decision to accept (buy) or reject, and then use them selectively.

Chris Worsnop is a retired English and Media Consultant, education writer and consultant, and a member of the AML executive.