Question/Response

Pos. 4--Dick Lilly

Pos. 4--Pat Griffith

1. In 1998, the Seattle School District signed a five-year exclusive rights contract with the Coca-Cola Corporation. This contract calls for promotion and sales of Coke products throughout the 100 schools in the district, while prohibiting the sale or ‘pouring’ of competitors’ beverages (except for milk distributed through the school lunch program at noon), in return for cash and commissions. Please explain whether you would vote to renew the Coke contract.

Renewal of the Coke contract should take place only in the context of the district's new (still being developed), strong and clear policy on advertising and commercialism in the schools. I suspect any renewal, therefore, at a minimum will include significant restrictions.

Unfortunately, the soft drink contract supplies some needed funding that is difficult to replace. Schools do have the option to do their own contracts or to restrict beverage choices. Before agreeing to renew I would want other proposals and a provision for recycling as well as a complete financial review.

2. In 2000, the district quietly passed a policy permitting the naming of district facilities. Previously, school facilities were named for prominent individuals (James Garfield High School; the Quincy Jones Auditorium). The new policy expands giving naming rights to corporate sponsors (cf. Safeco Field, etc.). Do you approve of selling naming rights to District-owned buildings and facilities? Why or why not?

The district's policy should be based on significant contributions to the development of the building or facility involved. That is, the model should be Benaroya Hall, not Safeco Field. I'll have to look at that policy to see if it's really "naming rights," or whether the name goes only for a significant philanthropic contribution to the project itself, the latter being what's obviously acceptable, the former pretty questionable.

I oppose this policy. I feel students and the community need connections and role models from our own communities.

3. In Seattle, many PTSA’s (Parent-Teacher-Student Associations) participate in the General Mills "Boxtops for Education’ program, whereby students and families are asked to purchase GM products and donate the proof-of-purchase to their school PTA. GM logos and ads are displayed prominently in the schools and sent home with all students in the weekly PTA newsletters. Last year, the Bryant Elementary PTA generated several hundred dollars this way. As a School Board member, what is your position on commercial activities conducted by organizations such as the PTA, when these involve Seattle School facilities, employees, or students?

I am opposed to this kind of promotion. However, I am not sure the District's relationship to the PTSA would allow a Board policy banning it. Regardless of the Board's power – or lack thereof – the District should work with the PTSA organizations, urging them to change their approach.

It would depend on the activity. I think PTA’s and parent groups should be recognized for their own judgment and priorities. The board should not micromanage this area unless there are real problems. Our real problem is inadequate funding.

4. In 1996, the Seattle School Board adopted a policy of seeking funds by selling wall/floor space to commercial advertisers. This short-lived policy was rescinded 6 months later after public uproar. As a School Board member, would you support a policy of selling wall-space? Please explain.

No. Does this even need explanation? This is not a "gray-area" case by any stretch of the imagination.

I’m pleased it was rescinded. Advertising in this manner implies district support. I am also concerned about stereotypical images being perpetuated through advertising.

5. The Seattle Sonics ‘Read to Succeed’ program requires thousands of primary-grade students to read or be read to for 20 minutes a day for 20 days each month. Each session, family members of participating students must sign a card featuring Sonics logos and ads. Selected students participate in Sonics promotional events and may get a chance to meet one or more players. Do you think such a corporate sponsorship is justified? If not, can you suggest non-commercial alternatives for motivating Seattle families to read together regularly?

I think the School District, as a good citizen in the Seattle community, will at times partner with other organizations, some of them clearly for profit. Sports figures, as in cases like this, can be motivators for kids so the problem becomes one of setting standards for the materials used so the focus is on the players, not ticket or paraphernalia sales. Finding that line needs some work.

6. There may be various reasons for local Seattle businesses or global corporations wanting to ‘partner’ with Seattle Schools. Do you support any restrictions on the recognition of corporate sponsors? What is the relationship of corporate recognition to ‘branding’, when children are involved?

I think recognition is more meaningful to parents and other adults than children. I have no problem with corporate recognition for volunteer commitments and scholarships.

7. Do you believe that business logos are a form of advertising? Why or why not?

They are a form of advertising and identity. Logos have become a part of our popular culture, whether we like it or not.

8. Channel One is a daily commercial MTV-like ‘news’ program for teens which many schools in Seattle require all students to view. In return, the school gets the loan of TV equipment (which in a few schools is also used to show student- or staff-made announcements and programs through a closed-circuit television system). Compulsory watching of Channel One adds up to one hour a week for thousands of Seattle middle and high school students , or one full week of school per year. Do you think this is a good use of taxpayer-funded school-time and facilities? Do you believe Channel One should remain in Seattle Schools? Why or why not?

Channel One should be kicked out immediately. Not a gray area. Overt sales.

Channel One needs to go. We have many better alternatives for bringing current events into the classro om via the internet. We don’t have enough classroom time as it is for material that needs to be covered.

9. Last year the Seattle School District decided to pay for Internet filtering services by placing banner ads on every web-page seen by students at school. The N2H2 filtering service simultaneously collected demographic data on Seattle children at school and allowed its advertising partners to do the same. N2H2 recently abandoned this business practice due to public protest. What is your position regarding such partnerships?

Partnerships depend on the mutual goals of the partners and therefore School District goals. Your question really is "What is your position regarding this kind of data gathering, etc.?" I am against it. I'm against the banner ad idea, too, but the Internet is one of those gray areas. It's value as an information source my be too great for us just to turn it off, which you would do if you based your judgement only on the amount of advertising exposure for the user. It's huge and pretty offensive, to say the least.

Quite honestly, I dislike banner ads anywhere! The ads distort the true cost of providing a service and there is the possibility of ads/ad revenue affecting content.

10. Seattle teachers need and want to upgrade their skills and knowledge throughout their career, and often attend classes, workshops, and conferences to do so. Recently, corporations such as Microsoft have been sponsoring teacher-training institutes complete with sample curriculums. These institutes are free or very low cost to teachers. Do you support corporate-sponsored teacher training? Why or why not?

I don't think it should be ruled out at all. Business corporations make many of the tools teachers use. The issue is whether we have effective general policies which would prevent sales material from returning to the classroom. Again, a gray area. It's pretty hard to use a computer and not know the name of the software manufacturer. Three trademarks for the word processing program I am using now, are visible on the screen.

If the content is valuable, we need to take advantage of it. Unfortunately our state budget did not fund $85 million of professional development. I would support our district professional development staff working with institute sponsors to make certain needed topics are included.

11. Staff at Seattle elementary and secondary schools frequently distribute or post promotional materials throughout the school. Students are encouraged to use these 14" x 22" full-color ads featuring items such as deodorant and candy as book-covers. Other posters featuring Dole pineapple or Nantucket Nectar drinks are displayed in the lunchrooms. What restrictions, if any, would you place on the type of commercial materials employees may distribute to children or post at school?

This is a clear cut case. No. None of this.

As long as the content is not objectionable, I believe our staff have better things to do with their time than to inspect book covers.

12. Children in elementary schools in Seattle are occasionally asked to attend all-school assemblies which are presentations by marketers, such as the Sally Foster Gift wrap assembly, in which students are taught how to sell Sally Foster products to raise funds for their school. Do you believe it is appropriate to remove Seattle children from class for commercial presentations and promotional activities? Why or why not?

No. It's hard to imagine this is even done.

I believe this type of presentation has been cut back significantly. With the arrival of a standards-based system, principals/staff are urged to measure the value of activities and time by their relationship to learning goals.

13. For decades, Washington Mutual Bank has conducted a ‘banking’ program in many Seattle elementary schools. Students are encouraged to save and deposit money in Washington Mutual bank accounts at their school regularly. There is no mention of credit unions or competitor banks. Do you consider the Washington Mutual program to be a commercial activity? Why or why not?

Yes, it is a commercial activity. It's also a gray area case where there is educational benefit and some community partnership benefit. And it's a case where the materials used would have to meet other tough criteria that should rule out sales pitches.

I think the math and life skills provided in this instance outweigh the commercial aspects. This is certainly not a profit center for Washington Mutual. This program has existed since the 1920’s.

14. Seattle school staff--including counselors, teachers, computer lab managers, and coaches--often distribute free promotional merchandise to students at school, such as mouse pads, beauty products, bookmarks, water bottles, and t-shirts. Do you believe that the distribution of these materials is intended to build brand loyalty among school children? Why or why not?

Yes, and it shouldn't be done.

From the supplier standpoint, it often is to build brand loyalty, but often it is intended to reward for a specific achievement. We also need to determine if non-profits need to abide by the same rules. In my own business, I often work with promotional products as an in centive/reminder for healthy habits and sometimes participation in a survey. The products do work and organizations such as health clinics find them helpful in working with kids.

15. Currently, the Seattle District has no system of reviewing or restricting unsolicited pre-packaged corporate ‘educational’ materials, such as the Hershey’s chocolate curriculum, Clearasil ‘Self-Esteem’ video, or the Godfather’s Pizza math lessons. Do you favor developing a review process or criteria for using corporate materials in Seattle schools? Why or why not?

Yes, of course. This is the clearly sales-oriented stuff we want out of the schools.

Yes, I favor a review process. Materials need to be evaluated as to whether they support accepted learning goals and standards. I feel they can also serve as case studies in media literacy.

16. Describe a healthy school-business partnership. Please include an example.

I believe event or achievement sponsorship and scholarship (also tutoring, volunteer programs) sponsorships are positive examples of school/business partnerships.

17. The State of Washington is mandated to fund basic education for all children. Currently, that definition effectively excludes many traditional learning activities such as music programs, art education, student newspapers, or intramural sports. Do you support increased funding for Washington schools? If so, where should that funding come from?

Yes. Ideally, from the state as part of its responsibility for education.

Yes, I support increased and stable funding. I would favor an income tax (corporate and personal) to replace our current regressive system. I also favor examination of tax waivers currently on the books.

18.In the past decade, individual taxpayers’ contribution to state taxes has increased, while the corporate share has decreased. Pepsi-Cola, for example, pays no federal taxes even though such taxes help pay for federally-funded programs such as Head Start. Do you believe corporations should pay a higher proportion of the taxes used to educate children in Seattle? Why or why not?

This is a trend in federal income taxes that began in the 1950s. I would be thrilled to see this trend reversed.

I believe our entire taxation system needs rethinking. Many other corporation, in cluding Microsoft and Boeing, pay no federal taxes.

19. Children and youth constitute a highly desirable market because they have their own money to spend, they influence family spending, and if branded at a young age, they will remain loyal customers for life. What role, if any, should Seattle educators play in protecting children and youth from commercial exploitation?

The School District should have strong, clear policies prohibiting any kinds of direct sales promotion, severely limiting others but finding ways to still allow District partnerships with commercial and non-profit organizations when such partnerships are important to the District as a good citizen of the community.

We need a healthy dose of media literacy a part of instruction in critical thinking skills.

20. School Board members need to inform themselves on many issues coming before the board. As a School Board member, how will you balance information gleaned from individuals, grassroots organizations, school staff, district administrators, etc.?

Thoughtfully, with the long-term educational goals of the Seattle Public Schools foremost in my mind.

My preferred method of gathering information is to ask for points of view from individuals and organizations and to research similar situations in other states or school districts.

This questionnaire is far too time-consuming.

CCCS RATING

2.9

1.8