Comments on: Obama’s Speech is not the Only Back to School Issue We Should Be Talking About http://griid.org/2009/09/08/obama%e2%80%99s-speech-is-not-the-only-back-to-school-issue-we-should-be-talking-about/ Fri, 30 Jul 2010 03:40:42 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.com/ By: Jeff Smith (GRIID) http://griid.org/2009/09/08/obama%e2%80%99s-speech-is-not-the-only-back-to-school-issue-we-should-be-talking-about/#comment-197 Jeff Smith (GRIID) Wed, 09 Sep 2009 17:44:13 +0000 http://griid.org/?p=855#comment-197 Kate, thanks for sharing this information. I don't know if STOK is looking into this type of legislation, but you can contact them at stokaction@gmail.com. Kate, thanks for sharing this information. I don’t know if STOK is looking into this type of legislation, but you can contact them at stokaction@gmail.com.

]]> By: Kate Wheeler http://griid.org/2009/09/08/obama%e2%80%99s-speech-is-not-the-only-back-to-school-issue-we-should-be-talking-about/#comment-196 Kate Wheeler Wed, 09 Sep 2009 14:58:32 +0000 http://griid.org/?p=855#comment-196 I worked in children's educational publishing, and one of the legal issues we dealt with in developing materials was that there are a few states (sadly, very few) have stringent laws about marketing or branding in school materials. That is to say, no mention of brand names or products could be made in any textbook or supplemental materials. Because we were selling materials in all 50 states, we constantly had to edit or redo manuscripts from authors who would, for example, use M&Ms in a counting exercise or talk about brand-name snack foods in a science article. Corporations can continue their offensive national advertising campaigns in these states and can't be stopped, but their influence on school grounds can be eradicated by these laws--in some states they are not allowed to provide teachers with "free" materials written to their agendas or to sell their food products within schools. They are not allowed to put on any kind of events for students in these states or give away samples within a certain distance from school property. Of course, the laws keep shifting because the companies continue to lobby to get around them, but they do provide some defenses. Michigan is obviously not a state that has these protective laws. Although I think STOK's goal of working directly with schools to raise awareness is a good idea, is the group also thinking of pushing for this type of legislation here? Here's a link to a 1999 article of an incident that actually spurred stronger legislation in California: http://www.stayfreemagazine.org/public/math_texts.html And what's with the Gates Foundation? What kid would want to "get schooled"?? I worked in children’s educational publishing, and one of the legal issues we dealt with in developing materials was that there are a few states (sadly, very few) have stringent laws about marketing or branding in school materials. That is to say, no mention of brand names or products could be made in any textbook or supplemental materials. Because we were selling materials in all 50 states, we constantly had to edit or redo manuscripts from authors who would, for example, use M&Ms in a counting exercise or talk about brand-name snack foods in a science article.

Corporations can continue their offensive national advertising campaigns in these states and can’t be stopped, but their influence on school grounds can be eradicated by these laws–in some states they are not allowed to provide teachers with “free” materials written to their agendas or to sell their food products within schools. They are not allowed to put on any kind of events for students in these states or give away samples within a certain distance from school property. Of course, the laws keep shifting because the companies continue to lobby to get around them, but they do provide some defenses.

Michigan is obviously not a state that has these protective laws. Although I think STOK’s goal of working directly with schools to raise awareness is a good idea, is the group also thinking of pushing for this type of legislation here?

Here’s a link to a 1999 article of an incident that actually spurred stronger legislation in California:

http://www.stayfreemagazine.org/public/math_texts.html

And what’s with the Gates Foundation? What kid would want to “get schooled”??

]]> By: stelle http://griid.org/2009/09/08/obama%e2%80%99s-speech-is-not-the-only-back-to-school-issue-we-should-be-talking-about/#comment-192 stelle Tue, 08 Sep 2009 22:01:33 +0000 http://griid.org/?p=855#comment-192 Though I am not in Obama's camp, the reaction of right-wing of parents not wanting their children to hear his speech baffled and upset me. These same parents seem to be oblivious to the issues you raise here, e.g, the corporate infiltration into our schools that not only recreates kids as consumers but also damages their physical health by encouraging unhealthy snacks and drinks and urges them to cast themselves into dangerous stereotypical gender roles, i.e. the macho boy and the sex-object girl. (The case of the Hopkins High School quarterback charged with rape may be one example.) Though I am not in Obama’s camp, the reaction of right-wing of parents not wanting their children to hear his speech baffled and upset me. These same parents seem to be oblivious to the issues you raise here, e.g, the corporate infiltration into our schools that not only recreates kids as consumers but also damages their physical health by encouraging unhealthy snacks and drinks and urges them to cast themselves into dangerous stereotypical gender roles, i.e. the macho boy and the sex-object girl. (The case of the Hopkins High School quarterback charged with rape may be one example.)

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