Advertising in Schools?

There are currently 52 million children in the United States today, and it is estimated that they influence over 700 billion dollars spent each year. This means that adults make consumer decision based on the wants and needs of their children. From the car that parents buy to where the family goes on vacation, the child's demands and interests influence consumer spending. Thus, children have become the number one market that advertisers want to appeal to. Their motto? Get them in the cradle and you will have them until the grave. Hook kids while they are young and they will be loyal to your product for life.

This is a naturally savvy move on the end of the advertisers, but it raises many ethical questions, such as how far can advertisers go to study the wants and needs of children? Some have gone as far as to follow them into bathrooms to observe how they wash their hair, play in the tub, etc - all so that they can make their product more appealing. With more and more ads being centered around food and drink, recent years have seen a dramatic increase in childhood obesity. The question I want to raise today is, should advertising be allowed to enter the schools?

It is a typical response that parents should be held responsible for the advertisements that reach their children. Parents, however, are not always with their children, particularly during school hours. While their children are at school, parents have no influence over what reaches their child's ears and grabs their attention. There are many types of advertising that takes place in schools: direct advertising is found on school buses, in textbooks, on the football field or in the cafeteria (usually via a poster or traditional ad). Some schools, however, air Channel One on 90% of school days in 80% of the classrooms. Channel One is a 10 minute "informational" newscast that designates 2 minutes to advertising. Schools sign a contract with Channel One, promising to deliver them a "captive audience"in exchange for a satellite dish, VCRs and TV sets.

But it doesn't stop there - advertisements come in all sorts of forms within a school. Public relation materials are designed to look like classroom activities and contests, samples and incentive programs offer advertisers a way to subtly promote their product to their valued customers. Some companies go so far as to host "slumber parties" where a child is supposed to invite his or her friends and subtly promote a product and gather information on that demographic. Schools are in need of more funds and sponsorships through programs may seem like a smart move. However, when it comes down to it, profit, not education, is the advertiser's priority. Should it be allowed to continue? If so, where should the line be drawn?