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Commercialization Tookit
How to Address Commercialization in Your Child's School
Purpose of this kit
This kit is designed for citizens who wish to (1) determine the level of commercial influence within a local school, (2) take action to reduce that commercial influence, and/or (3) transmit information obtained to Psychology for a Sustainable Future.
It includes:
- Executive Summary of the Northwest Earth Institute's report, Commercial Influence in Portland-Area Public Schools
- Reactions to Commercial Influence in Schools (case studies)
The kit may be used by one interested citizen, a group, or an organization within a school. If at any poijt in the process you need additional advice, please contact Jeanne Roy at (503) 227-2315.
Suggested Steps
(1) Read background information on commercial influence in schools. See Executive Summary and review the enclosed resource list.
(2) Talk to parents, teachers, and/or students to assess the level of commercial influence in the local school and determine whether other have similar concerns.
(3) If possible, form a group of concerned citizens. It can either be an ad hoc group or a committee of an existing an existing organization, such as the PTA.
(4) Document the level of commercial influence by using the Citizen's Walkthrough Guide. Note that all questions do not apply to all grade levels.Refine the process as you go through it. Additionally, we recommend that you complete the 'Observations' section of the walkthrough first, so that you are aware of some of the commercial influence before you begin interviewing individuals.
(5) Identify your key issues. Which forms of commercial influence upset you the most? Which forms are most pervasive?
(6) Meet with your principal to discuss your concerns. Prepare your key questions and a brief agenda prior to the meeting. Be through and ask detailed questions. Make a written record of the principal's response. If the administrator is interested in change, agree to next steps and the date of a follow-up meeting. Follow the meeting with a thank-you note and any questions that remain.
(7) Mail a copy of your Citizen's Walkthrough Guide to the Center for Earth Leadership, 319 SW Washington, Suite 400, Portland, OR 97204. The Center will compile this data and connect individual groups to a larger network of concerned citizens.
Keys to Initiating Change in Your Local School
Articulate your position. School administrators may argue that commercial influence is necessary due to budget pressures. Be prepared to articulate why the removal of commercial influence from schools is worth the loss of revenue. Also, be sure to closely evaluate how much money is being generated from commercial influence. Many forms of commercial influence, such as soda vending machines, have hidden costs, such as electricity. Moreover, schools can seek partnerships that do not impose commercial influence on students. Examples include (1) company-sponsored tutoring and (2) donations of equipment. Emphasize that your campaign is not anti-business or anti-public schools, but pro-child. Business contributions to schools can be good, but children have the right to learn in a commercial-free environment.
Be persistent. Be prepared to deal with delays, indifference, and school administrators who argue that proving access to children for commercial purposes is the only way they can add address diminishing budgets. Those reactions are expected and should not signal that your cause is hopeless. In fact, across the nation, citizen groups are taking action in response to commercial influence in schools. See Reactions to Commercial Influence in Schools. Thus, be prepared to be patiet and persistent.