http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5510908
It was so bizarre; I could hardly believe it. In case you don't have time to listen, basically schools are starting to sell sponsorships for buildings, halls, rooms, etc. MLK High School will become McDonald's High. This activity is purportedly to relieve the tax payers' burden. I am appalled.
I remember that a few years back I heard a story on NPR that someone was developing a laser that could project ads onto the moon. As in, this evening's full moon is brought to you by the Nike Swoosh. I was outraged. I was ready to fly to Botswana or Bellorussia, or wherever I needed to protest. It turned out to be an NPR April Fool's Day hoax story.
Here we are just a few years later, and I think we might actually be moving in that direction. Can you believe that this is really happening? It's hard enough for children to appreciate the load of commercialism on their lives, but when we blur the lines of civic and commercial institutions this far, it makes me wonder what comes next...
And let's think for just a minute about the idea of relieving tax payer's burden. I submit that the reason why don't have tax money to pay for good schools is because the money that should go there is feeding these same corporations that now want to engrave their names on the back of desks (something that I got paddled for!)
The only situation where this insidious idea feels like it could be halfway okay would be a community like the one where I'm spending the summer. If a school received sponsorship where there simply are no tax dollars, or individual dollars, to be spared, then is it a viable solution? I'm still not sure.
Now on a totally different note, let us all grasp hands across the internet and dance in a circle while singing "Rain, rain, go away, come again another day...(or not!)"
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