Brendan Horan, Principal Cahir Boys National School, Co. Tipperary.
“Many schools in medium to small towns who depend on the goodwill of local businesses and communities have been placed in an awkward position by being seen to be anti-business and advertising rather than anti-commercialism and anti-exploitation for profit reasons.
Many of these schools have had healthy and beneficial links with local business owners such as the local Supervalu owner who have sponsored school events, activities and resources in the past for purely philanthropic reasons. The “Kids in Action” scheme was a profit driven activity which exploited parents pupils and schools without a balanced view by all concerned.
In the modern context schools need to be in a neutral position with regard to commercialism. Logos, brands and advertising are part of our world, but they should not exploit the lack of resources schools have, take up the time and efforts of parents, pupils and teachers or persuade, manipulate or force the habits of consumers in a subtle covert manner.”
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INTO Congress 2006
Motion on Commercialism in Irish primary schools
Congress:
- Deplores the underfunding of education which has starved schools of resources and public funding.
- Expresses its concern at the growing commercialisation of education and the growing number of schemes that require teachers to promote products in classrooms.
- Calls on the CEC to immediately devise and circulate a policy on commercialism in schools that will support teachers promoting a commercial-free education in primary school classrooms.
- Calls on CEC to launch a campaign to bring education spending into line with our European counterparts.
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Oisín O’ Reilly – General Secretary, Union of Secondary Students in Ireland
www.ussonline.net
“Education is a vital social good; therefore it is the responsibility of civic society (the Government) to adequately fund the education system for the good of all its stakeholders. Schools should not be placed in the position to make up funding shortfalls through allowing commercial activities in their school. We as students are concerned with the ever increasing exploitation by business of schools in order to promote their products and services. These campaigns have no place in schools and are attempting to turn students into consumers at an earlier age. Allowing such advertising to continue, places the brand and not learning at the heart of education, we will not allow this to happen.”
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Department of Education and Science
“The Minister requests that schools consider carefully the implications of allowing any situation to develop which would result in parents being put under undue pressure to purchase a particular product….The Minister requests that school authorities following, consultation with staff, to formulate agreed school policies in relation to commercial promotions.” (Circular 38/91)
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Catholic Primary Schools Management Association
Irish National Teachers Organisation
“The CPSMA and INTO wish to express concern at the increasing tendency among business enterprises to exploit schools in order to promote their products or services…. These campaigns consume much of teachers’ time and can impose considerable undesirable pressure on school going children, parents, and teachers.” (1987)
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Irish Primary Principals Network
“Schools should not facilitate outside agencies, commercial bodies, etc. to promote their products and services through children” (2002)
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Revised Primary Curriculum - Social Personal and Health Education
“The child should be enabled to
- become aware of the different forms of advertising, its purpose and the messages it promotes.
- become increasingly critical and discerning in his/her own attitude to advertising and the techniques used to promote products, life-styles and ideas.” (1999)
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National Heart Alliance
“There is an urgent need to address the marketing and promotional practices in schools…. Schools represent a growing marketing channel for food advertisers. Strategies include sponsoring events, linking food product purchasing to the provision of educational or sporting equipment – often involving token collection schemes – and selling unhealthy food and drink products in vending machines.” (2005)
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