Sponsorship in the Schools?

The CBE's board of trustees meet tonight and a consideration will be raised by Sheila Taylor regarding corporate sponsorship in schools.  Click here to see the proposal. She will ask the board to consider commissioning a survey to parents to see how we feel about it.  The comment boards on all the stories about this are polarized, many suggesting an horrific look at a future filled with tobacco ads in the gym and fast food logos in the cafeteria while many are taking the approach that commercials are ubiquitous anyway so we might as well get some profit from it.

I can't see the harm in asking parents what they think and the survey results may inform the trustee's decisions in the near future. Understanding what their constituents think about possibly contentious issues is always a good thing.

My personal feeling is that if its done discreetly and uses sponsorship that reflects our community values - why not? Its better than milking parents with increasing school fees. How is it different from asking our kids to go door to door selling coupon books or pizza or chocolate bars: same stuff, different pile...

What do you think?  You okay with classroom sponsors?  Would calling the shop class, the "GE Room" or labeling the foods and fashion studies the "Sylvania Centre" be alright with you?  Leave a comment below...