The Minneapolis Board of Education wants public input as it considers
policies on advertising and vending in the schools. On Tuesday, March 27
at 4:30 p.m. the Board will hold a public policy study session to
discuss these issues and hear the public's thoughts and concerns. The
meeting will be in the 3rd floor assembly room at 807 NE Broadway. A way
to give online feedback will be available beginning Monday, March 26 -
I'll post the url to that specific web page when it's ready.
Here is some background:
Corporate partnerships with school districts have received both local
and national attention in recent months. Much of the discussion has
centered on districts negotiating exclusive beverage vending agreements
and whether pop should be sold in schools. Parents and others have
expressed concern not only about the health implications of those
contracts but whether the result is increased student exposure to the
vendor's marketing messages.
The Minneapolis Public Schools Board of Education believes the issue is
much broader, however, and must be examined in light of everything from
donations of educational software containing business advertising, to
the donation of school supplies or backpacks with corporate logos.
In a district with limited resources, revenue and materials generated by
business sponsorships help finance a variety of programs in the schools.
Vending revenue funds everything from debate and other extracurricular
clubs to uniforms and field trips. Board members are sensitive to parent
and community concerns about whether business sponsorships including
exclusive beverage vending contracts expose students to an unacceptable
level of corporate influence through advertising. They are also
concerned about the health implications of pop sales in schools.
Tuesday's policy study session will allow the Board to hear from
external resource speakers about these issues as well as parents,
students, staff and others who have opinions about these topics. For
more information on this or other policy study sessions please call the
district's Communications Department at 612.668.0230.
Among the policy questions the Board would like feedback on are:
Should corporate partnerships that may involve advertising be included
in our fundraising strategy?
What level of advertising is acceptable in schools (i.e. advertising at
athletic fields, exclusive vending machines, school supplies provided by
a vendor)?
What are the implications of allowing commercial activities in schools:
i.e. how do pop sales affect student health? Do computer and equipment
donations that contain advertising develop our students into customers
for the sponsoring corporations?
--
Debbie Urbanski
Communications Department
612-668-0233
Minneapolis Public Schools. Expect Great Things.
http://www.mpls.k12.mn.us
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