Broadcasting Complaints Commission to Rule on CCFE Complaint
December 19, 2008 by Joe Fogarty · Leave a Comment
The Broadcasting Complaints Commission is to consider a complaint by the Campaign for Commercial-Free Education concerning a report on RTÉ’s news show News2Day (19 Nov 2008) about the “Doodle 4 Google” promotion in schools.
The complaint proposed that RTÉ’s coverage of this latest marketing promotion to target Irish schools was both commercially biased and lacking in objectivity or balance. RTÉ have rejected the complaint and the BBC will meet on 26th January 2009 to decide.
Read the complaint made by CCFE. Read more
CCFE lodge complaint against RTE for promoting Google marketing scheme.
December 2, 2008 by Joe Fogarty · Leave a Comment
The Campaign for Commercial-Free Education has today complained to RTE and the BCI about a report on children’s news show News2Day (19 Nov 2008) about the “Doodle 4 Google” promotion which seeks to make their corporate logo the focus of art lessons for school children as young as 5 years of age.
Internet giant Google has made an unsolicted approach to schools, urging teachers to have school children from Junior Infants upwards to design a new version of their corporate logo. The entry guidelines read “Please ensure that the Google logo is clearly visible and recognisable.” “Write the word ‘Google’ on the board and show the pupils a print out of the logo template.”
To view the report for yourself please click here. Read more
Against Commercialism in Education
November 5, 2008 by Mark Conroy · Leave a Comment
- Breaking the Barcodes
Nov. 5th sees the world’s first attempted co-ordinated action against commercialisation in education (including against fees for education). So far, activists in 22 countries have signed up to have mass co-ordinated events. This essay seeks to look at some of the issues involved in commercialism in education.
Since we have not reached the level of commercialism in our schools that pervade an education system such as the American one, perhaps now is the time to begin the fight against the commercialism that is present, before it becomes too much to be countered.
Students React to Tesco’s Computers in Schools Scheme
June 15, 2008 by Mark Conroy · Leave a Comment
I gave my Higher Level Fifth Year English class the article “Opposing Tesco’s ‘Computers for Schools’ Voucher Scheme” for the reading comprehension section of their summer exam. Question 3 asked “What are your thoughts on these schemes?”
Here is a selection of student responses:
Student 1
I feel this is hugely unfair and no parent should be put under pressure to gain facilities for their school.
Student 2
To be honest, I never really thought about this voucher scheme, but from reading this extract, I now believe it to be an outrage [...] The Tesco company should be ashamed of themselves.
Student 3
I believe there is something corrupt about the way in which supermarkets operate to gain sales. [...] It shocks and appalls me. Read more
