McDonald's rewards on kids' report cards?
This is really getting under my skin for some reason. I'm not a parent, but I'm frustrated that this is even happening...
One of the local school districts has accepted happy meal coupons as a reward for kids earning good grades, and it's blatantly advertised on the kids' report cards. Check out the article: http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/education/orl-mcgrades0607dec06,0,5067134.story?coll=orl_tab01_layout
I shouldn't have started reading the comments section that follows, because I'm now feeling annoyed at the ignorance of some of my community's lesser members (they are in my opinion, anyway). Just sharing because I have a feeling the majority of the VW community might be on my side, which is in full support of the protesting mother.
If I had a child in school, I'd be joining the conscious mother and helping her fight her battle.
I mean, what would you do?
If I had a child in school, I'd be joining the conscious mother and helping her fight her battle.
I mean, what would you do?
I'd say you could protest, even though you don't have a child in school! You don't have to be a parent to be concerned about the youth in your community. :) If this really bothers you (and it would bother me, too!), I say join that mother & express your disappointment & disgust.
And I agree that this goes against McDonald's agreement to not advertise in schools. This is a clear manipulation of those rules, and they're trying to lock in new, young customers under the guise of rewarding them for getting good grades in school! >:( Kids have a hard enough time these days being healthy & getting enough activity; they don't need to see McDonald's as the only reason to work hard in school.
And I totally understand the reward system; my elementary school even had that Pizza Hut program. I think we got tickets toward a Personal Pan Pizza, and the more books we read, the more pizza tickets we got! ::) Rewards are fun, and I don't have a problem with that, per se. What I don't like is the fact that we're using fast food as the reward. Let's face it: American kids don't need help getting fatter. (I saw a study this morning that some researchers are predicting the current generation of children's life expectancy to go down because of... OBESITY! They think that, on average, these kids will live a shorter life than their parents. :'() So why not give tickets toward a scooter or a bike, or a class field trip to a park or science museum or something? Even going to see a movie or something... (I know this would be more expensive, especially because these activities wouldn't be sponsored by a huge corporation, but I'm just brainstorming for better ideas!) McDonald's is obviously participating in this program to get something out of it; that's just smart business. Why wouldn't the school recognize that & refuse to let their students be used in that way?
And gross that the poll included in that article asks readers what they think of this McDonald's program, and as of right now, 65.4% don't have a problem with it!
How awful. You stated everything perfectly jessacita. Obviously no one at the school is concerned about the health of the students (neither are the majority of the parents either).
OK, that's just really disturbing and depressing. The voucher thing itself, and the fact that the parents seem to think it's OK. Whatever happened to book tokens or cool t-shirts?
glad i'm not alone in my feelings about this!
vigilant20, i should have been clearer: i wouldn't support pizza hut, either. your second statement is completely accurate, though, and that's just a part of the stink!
jessacita, i think you're right - i should look into how i can offer my support, even if it's simply writing a letter to the school board. i'd love to read the article you found regarding children's life expectancy decreasing; do you remember where you saw it?
and thanks to you all for helping me feel less in the minority, although, as the poll points out, i still am there with the way i feel!
I think the readers' comments disgusted me more than the article itself. I agree that McDonalds is violating the no advertising agreement and that using fast food as an incentive to achieve in school is wrong. Several of the commenters said something to the effect of "protesting these coupons is hurting single mothers and their children who can't afford food and would appreciate a free meal". Why not give them coupons/gift certificates to local grocery stores? The grocery stores could be the sponsors rather than fast food restaurants. Granted, these gift certificates could be used to buy unhealthy junk, but at least there would be more options (franken nuggets and sugar coated apple slices vs. feces burgers and beef tallow fries??). And to all of the commenters who said "Geez, it's just a happy meal, lighten up!" GO READ FAST FOOD NATION. Then tell me if it's "just a happy meal." Happy meal, what irony!!
BUT, also, parents should step up and refuse to take their kids to fast food restaurants, especially if they have a problem with this report card ad. Not that that absolves the school/fast food companies for selling out and making it harder for parents to say no....
UGH.
oh CeltKat, I was just bemoaning this oxymoron the other day with my veggie-sympathetic friend.
A "happy meal"?? I think not!
Anyway, I couldn't help but laugh at the article. Can I enroll in Brookshire Elementary? I'd loooove free coupons to the "Ale House". ::) :D
Sorry I just couldn't help myself...been a long day! :P
And to all of the commenters who said "Geez, it's just a happy meal, lighten up!" GO READ FAST FOOD NATION. Then tell me if it's "just a happy meal." Happy meal, what irony!!
exactly... they really ought to rename them sorrow meals
jessacita, i think you're right - i should look into how i can offer my support, even if it's simply writing a letter to the school board. i'd love to read the article you found regarding children's life expectancy decreasing; do you remember where you saw it?
and thanks to you all for helping me feel less in the minority, although, as the poll points out, i still am there with the way i feel!
I think a letter would be great! Even if you have to get pushy a couple weeks after sending the letter by calling to follow up with the recipient and get his/her reactions! ;)
Here is the article:
http://abcnews.go.com/Health/story?id=586340&page=1
("The Today Show" also did a story on this this morning, so that might be on their website. For the record, that show bugs the crap out of me, but I liked this piece.)
OK, that's just really disturbing and depressing. The voucher thing itself, and the fact that the parents seem to think it's OK. Whatever happened to book tokens or cool t-shirts?
I remember book tokens, too! I actually liked those better than the Pizza Hut tickets! :D I think it was for getting assignments done on time or not being tardy or something, but once we got enough tickets, we got to pick out a new book from our teacher's stash to have! Bring those back!
I think these types of rewards are disgusting practices. I'd pull my kid out of such a school so fast.
Then again, I'm all about homeschooling or a private Waldorf school. Precisely because of stunts like this. Not only is this ridiculous in terms of nutrition, but also it's ridiculous as a reward. The reward should be knowledge itself and the grade. Schools should inspire the desire to learn. Not hammer facts into kids so that by the time they finish school, they hate learning period. And in order to study they need incentives like junk food. >:(
I think these types of rewards are disgusting practices. I'd pull my kid out of such a school so fast.
Then again, I'm all about homeschooling or a private Waldorf school. Precisely because of stunts like this. Not only is this ridiculous in terms of nutrition, but also it's ridiculous as a reward. The reward should be knowledge itself and the grade. Schools should inspire the desire to learn. Not hammer facts into kids so that by the time they finish school, they hate learning period. And in order to study they need incentives like junk food. >:(
Amen!
I went to a Montessori school for several years during elementary school, but hadn't heard of the Waldorf Schools until recently when a friend of mine talked about how his daughter goes to one. I LOVE their style and philosophies! I seriously doubt I will ever have kids of my own, but if I do, I hope I have the means to send them to a Waldorf school.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waldorf_school
When I was a kid we'd get a reward for every book we read. We got to select from a box of polished rocks supplied by the librarian's husband. Thirty years ago, polished rocks were the bees knees (to me).
Fast food was status, tho'. My town's first fast food joint (a McDonalds) came into town when I was in middle school. The kids with the cool mothers would be picked up and they'd go with their friends to McDs for lunch. They'd come back to school with their McD cups and we'd all be envious. All I got was whole grains and natural food *kicks dirt*. I guess I'm pretty thankful for that now, since eating habits during that age range informs a person's lifetime eating habits.
My old highschool recently implemented uniforms. As an incentive they will allow kid's to have an "out of uniform" day for kid's on honor roll or with perfect attendance during a specified time. They also give out raffle tickets as rewards for good behavior. Then every Friday they hold a raffle and give out prizes like movie tickets, and even ipods (that were donated as the school levy just passed for the first time in about 10 years).
This situation makes me think of the campaign by Two Angry Moms to get healthy food in schools, they made a movie which is just being premiered:
http://www.angrymoms.org/
and also this recent article (which I may have already posted somewhere, can't remember, sorry if it's a repeat)
STUDY OF THE WEEK:
HEALTHY CAFETERIAS SAVE SCHOOLS MONEY
A new study in the December issue of the Review of Agricultural Economics puts to rest the myth that serving nutritious meals in schools will turn off kids and break the school budget. School lunch programmers often make the claim that junk foods, like hot dogs, nachos and pizza, must be served in cafeterias, because healthy food is too expensive and kids won't buy it anyway. In contrast, researchers analyzed 330 school districts over a five year period and found that shifting school lunch programs towards healthier foods does not reduce student demand and ultimately saves the school money. While serving better meals requires higher labor costs, those expenses are offset by lower costs for more nutritious foods such as fruits and vegetables compared with processed foods. Learn more about how you can help your child's school integrate healthier foods into the cafeteria by visiting the Organic Consumers Association's "Appetite for a Change Campaign": http://www.organicconsumers.org/afc.cfm
Bottom line is Fast Food (ie. Mc D's) and schools just don't belong together. I found it utterly appalling when a school in a nearby district built a new high school and included fast food restaurants (mall cafeteria style) in there school's cafeteria. What were they thinking!?
When I was a kid we'd get a reward for every book we read. We got to select from a box of polished rocks supplied by the librarian's husband. Thirty years ago, polished rocks were the bees knees (to me).
They were, too. My brother had a lapidary wheel and I remember that in the rural area where I lived there were a couple of really good "rock shops." He made rings etc. at home and taught me to love and identify real stones at a glance. He only ever worked with cheaper stones like crazy lace and jasper, but we did pore over the cases in the rock shops. (My training didn't win me any bouquets from my BFF when she showed me her "engagement ring," given her by her not-so-divorced fiance. I tried not to say anything but I guess my face gave me away. Vintage cubic zircona.)
Jessicita, thanks for the article link. I gave a presentation on nutrition in public schools for an education course last year, and even though I'm no longer pursuing an education degree, I'm still very much interested in reports regarding the health of "our" kids!
Celtkat, thanks for sharing the link to the Waldorf school. I am interested in different learning systems and schools, so this info is appreciated. And how cool that you were able to attend a Montessori school! I tend to like their ideals, too.
Gratefulbeauty, thanks for the links and info, too!
I'll be drafting my letter to the school board some time this weekend and will remain a childless education system lurker, if only because I care about humanity and the shaping of the community I live in.
I agree with all of the frustration regarding learning/reward systems that's been mentioned in this thread. It's pretty much...a sorry shame.
I think these types of rewards are disgusting practices. I'd pull my kid out of such a school so fast.
Then again, I'm all about homeschooling or a private Waldorf school. Precisely because of stunts like this. Not only is this ridiculous in terms of nutrition, but also it's ridiculous as a reward. The reward should be knowledge itself and the grade. Schools should inspire the desire to learn. Not hammer facts into kids so that by the time they finish school, they hate learning period. And in order to study they need incentives like junk food. >:(
YES! I was going to say something very similar, but I'll just add to yours. Rewards create adults that work for the money and not for their profession, in my opinion. I see rewards working for students in my classroom that have autism or behavioral problems, for everyone else, it places them lower in the ranks of being intrinsically motivated. In addition, there are way too many obese children, our second graders have a fitness program where they wear pedometers, SEVERAL students can not wear these pedometers because they are so obese (according to their classroom teachers). We have the pizza hut reading program at our school and I just hate it. I remember when I had it in elementary school, it encouraged me to read books, I FLEW! through books, but have I read since then??? barely. It's not enjoyable anymore. Once that reward was gone, I stopped reading and never really started again.
One more thing. Luckily a rancher in our town was smart enough to only give a small space to the mcdonalds that came in, but now, the drive thru line goes out into the road 5 or 6 cars long. It's ridiculous. Every morning. I cant imagine going all day with a shitty breakfast like that! gross.
How gross! I'm glad that I went to a school system that didn't reward students for reading. Or if they did I never paid attention to it or turned in any stats.
Like baypuppy, my family didn't have a lot of money when I was young. My mom used to get 15 dollars a week from my dad for "fun" money for herself. She never used it on herself but would instead treat us with ice cream cones if we'd done all our chores and had got good grades in school the previous week. We'd make a day of it and walk to the ice cream store and then spend the day playing in the park. We never really cared that we didn't go to mc d's very often. To us..spending the day in the park eating the ice cream was the best time ever. The rest of the money she'd save so that in the summer we could get passes to the beach or take swimming lessons.
I think these types of rewards are disgusting practices. I'd pull my kid out of such a school so fast.
Then again, I'm all about homeschooling or a private Waldorf school. Precisely because of stunts like this. Not only is this ridiculous in terms of nutrition, but also it's ridiculous as a reward. The reward should be knowledge itself and the grade. Schools should inspire the desire to learn. Not hammer facts into kids so that by the time they finish school, they hate learning period. And in order to study they need incentives like junk food. >:(
Ecstatic, I can appreciate your stance for animals and homeschooling, (which as you may have heard, has been on the ropes from a control hungry part of the govt.)
I would like to challenge you on your reward statement - asking if you yourself would really like to go to work each day (mostly) for the learning experience and some (often weak form of) "recognition"? Can you really tell me/ us that you prefer to go to work and not get paid? Ev'n if such is the case, why would someone expect children to work without receiving some reward(s)?
I agree your statement would hold up more in high school and college where more of the classes are optional and one can see a more clear link between knowledge and grades and goals. But in grade school, an intelligent child can see that much of what they teach, although useful and good to one child, may be useless rubbish to another. The child, being a victim of lack of choice should at least be allowed to make a game and/or "job" out of what is otherwise of little or no importance to him/her.
Also Ecstatic, I can appreciate that you would be one of those rare parents and get involved and pull your child out. Out of curiosity though, may I ask if the school cafeteria serves animal products?
As for why wouldn't the schools recognize how McDonalds is "using" the students - I would guess it's because the system is largely run by carnivores - yes? Perhaps it would be better to approach the problem from/at a deeper level(?)
I've been having some computer issues (again) but I should be back with more details (soon?).
Considering how awful some/many children's diets can be, wouldn't a McDonald's Happy Meal be an actual step up for some?
I agree I would also prefer to have it be vegan, but it appears (to me) that noone is stopping any veg* restaurant/organization - etc from stepping up to the plate here. Perhaps if one finally does, McDonald's could be thanked for starting a trend(?!)
Furthermore, in response to Jessacita, the money saved by a kid who wins a Happy Meal could be saved toward the purchase of a more animal and health friendly product such as a bicycle, books, etc...
About the no advertising agreement, perhaps there was some loophole that was allowed(?)
I'd also like to address baypuppy's comment about dogs - wouldn't you rather be treated like a dog (getting a treat) than a virtual non-entity (being overlooked)?
About the no advertising agreement, perhaps there was some loophole that was allowed(?)
I think the loophole is that this no-advertising agreement doesn't go into effect until January 2008. ::) I read that in one of those articles, so they're implementing this Happy Meal deal right before the deadline. :-\
I think these types of rewards are disgusting practices. I'd pull my kid out of such a school so fast.
Then again, I'm all about homeschooling or a private Waldorf school. Precisely because of stunts like this. Not only is this ridiculous in terms of nutrition, but also it's ridiculous as a reward. The reward should be knowledge itself and the grade. Schools should inspire the desire to learn. Not hammer facts into kids so that by the time they finish school, they hate learning period. And in order to study they need incentives like junk food. >:(
Ecstatic, I can appreciate your stance for animals and homeschooling, (which as you may have heard, has been on the ropes from a control hungry part of the govt.)
I would like to challenge you on your reward statement - asking if you yourself would really like to go to work each day (mostly) for the learning experience and some (often weak form of) "recognition"? Can you really tell me/ us that you prefer to go to work and not get paid? Ev'n if such is the case, why would someone expect children to work without receiving some reward(s)?
I agree your statement would hold up more in high school and college where more of the classes are optional and one can see a more clear link between knowledge and grades and goals. But in grade school, an intelligent child can see that much of what they teach, although useful and good to one child, may be useless rubbish to another. The child, being a victim of lack of choice should at least be allowed to make a game and/or "job" out of what is otherwise of little or no importance to him/her.
Also Ecstatic, I can appreciate that you would be one of those rare parents and get involved and pull your child out. Out of curiosity though, may I ask if the school cafeteria serves animal products?
As for why wouldn't the schools recognize how McDonalds is "using" the students - I would guess it's because the system is largely run by carnivores - yes? Perhaps it would be better to approach the problem from/at a deeper level(?)
I've been having some computer issues (again) but I should be back with more details (soon?).
A paycheck from a job is EARNED by the employee. A grade from a teacher is EARNED by the student. The paycheck goes on to pay for things that sustain the individual's life, and the grade goes on to pass the student to the next grade, until they ultimately graduate and decide how they want to start earning their paychecks.
The point is that it's unethical to bribe children with anything to get them to do what you want. It's even MORE unethical to bribe them with things that are harmful for them, such as McDonald's. They are children, they probably don't understand what is good for them/bad for them and this just makes the problem worse. They want immediate satisfaction and don't understand the consequences of consuming a Happy Meal, they see that they did something good and they got a "reward" for it and their parents and teachers are happy about it. How do we ever expect them to learn what's good/bad for them when we're giving them the bad stuff as a reward? And how do we ever expect them to do things unasked/unrewarded if we keep rewarding them every time they turn around? There are things in life that you will never be given a "mcdonald's coupon" for, and the only reward will be a personal feeling of accomplishment, I say we encourage them to strive for that feeling rather than a coupon.
If I had children I wouldn't appreciate McDonald's worming their way into my kids' lives. Making themselves considered the "prize" for doing what they were expected to do anyway.
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