Friday, October 1, 2010

Intriguing, but Fraught with Peril

Peabody schools to send ads home with children
PEABODY, Mass. -- Peabody's cash-strapped schools will soon begin selling advertising space on notes, permission slips and other correspondence sent home to parents.

The school committee this week approved a plan to sell 10 business-card sized ads on the back of notices sent home with students as a way to raise up to $24,000 per year.

This is one of those things that could go really well, or really bad, depending on how the program is administered. If they do keep to local businesses, then it's not outside of standard practices since at least when I was going to school - the football programs and school play playbill were heavily subsidized by local businesses. Getting an "ad" from a local business on a note from the school helps defray costs and lets parents know which local businesses are actively helping in the community.

Or, we could have kids stacked three-high in a classroom "taught" by Pepsi execs...

That is all...

(Link provided by PISSED, who isn't too certain they won't sell ad space to Viagra and Budweiser...)

8 comments:

ASM826 said...

Can the National Rifle Association buy space on the school newsletter?

How about Four Seasons Firearms in Woburn?

If not, who decides?

Freiheit said...

Go pick up a book called "Jennifer Government". Its about an extreme corporate state where you pay for everything, your school is paid for by a contract with a job at McDonalds.

http://maxbarry.com/jennifergovernment/

Chris said...

Since it is government backed, they would be hard pressed to be able to legally reject adds that were not obscene. Adds for Viagara, the NRA, Athiesim and other things could all be required to be acceptable.

ParatrooperJJ said...

Love to see some firearm ads there.

Butch Cassidy said...

Local business already sponsors coverage of school sports. Companies from the area take ad-space in yearbooks.
With people whining about "going green," this could be win-win. Both sides of paper used. More money to the school without increased tax-payer expense. More business for local establishments.
But, being realistic, busy-bodies in the school and town will feel the need to say what does and does not go on for ads.
This seems 50:50 to be a potential good thing or major headache.

Steven C. said...

How about an ad from the local Centerfolds Nite Club and Revue ("50 gorgeous girls and 2 ugly ones!") - hey, it's a local community business!!

Unknown said...

Pepsi execs teaching may not be a bad thing, at least the kids will learn about competition in the free market, instead of learning this "everyone wins" t- ball type philosophy the children are receiving now.

Freiheit said...

"Pepsi execs teaching may not be a bad thing, at least the kids will learn about competition in the free market.."

They won't learn that from Pepsi. Pepsi and Coke are perfectly happy with their near 50% share of the market each and don't want to actually compete.