Citizens' Campaign for Commercial-Free Schools

CITIZENS' CAMPAIGN FOR COMMERCIAL-FREE SCHOOLS
3724 Burke Ave. N. Seattle WA 98103
www.scn.org/cccs

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:   November 22, 2000

CONTACT:
Brita Butler-Wall, Executive Director Citizens' Campaign for Commercial-Free Schools
Tel.: 206.523.4922 bbwall@drizzle.com

Ted Lockery, Seattle Education Association
(206) 548-8258 tlockery@cks.ssd.k12.wa.us

TEACHERS' UNION SAYS NO TO ADS IN SCHOOLS

SEATTLE, WA
On Monday, Nov. 20, the Seattle Education Association voted overwhelmingly to oppose the commercialization of Seattle public schools by passing a resolution presented by Ted Lockery, a Seattle middle school teacher. Lockery is an active member of the Citizens' Campaign for Commercial-Free Schools (CCCS), a local non-profit grassroots group formed in 1997.

"The union has sent a very clear message to the School Board," says Lockery, member of the SEA Board of Directors. "We are saying they need to take a stand and adopt a District-wide policy that tells corporations that their advertising campaigns and marketing strategies are not welcome in our public schools, no matter how desperate schools are for funds."

The SEA resolution calls for a district-wide policy which would prohibit schools from accepting any paid or unpaid advertising. It would also prohibit market research and distribution of promotional items at school, and restrict the use of logos.

This week, the School Board's Policy and Legislative Committee agreed to review the SEA recommended policy as well as policies the CCCS and from other districts. They are also reviewing current contracts with Channel One, Coca-Cola, and N2H2.

"The SEA resolution is a major victory for children," says Dr. Brita Butler-Wall, Executive Director of CCCS. "Seattle Council of PTSA adopted a similar resolution 3 years ago. With parents and teachers behind them, it's time for the School Board to get rid of ads in schools."

Seattle Schools are inundated every week with promotional items, corporate-sponsored curriculums, marketing 'contests' and gimmicks. A year ago, the district signed a 5-year exclusive 'pouring rights' contract with the Coca-Cola Corporation in exchange for a commission on the Coke products sold to kids. Last April, the district signed a contract with N2H2 permitting banner ads on web pages seen by children at school in exchange for a filtering service. Individual principals in many secondary schools require all students to watch commercial TV every day in exchange for the use of some television equipment (Channel One).

The Seattle School district currently has no policy protecting its 47,000 children from marketers and for-profit corporations.

For more information, contact CCCS at 206.726.4142, or at www.scn.org/cccs.