Commercializing the Commercializing the SchoolSchool

Commercializing the Commercializing the SchoolSchool

By Wendy Apice-Craig, Ray By Wendy Apice-Craig, Ray Pascali, and Rick SabolPascali, and Rick Sabol

Commercializing the School

Commercializing the School• What is the major purpose of a corporation?

– To Make a profit

• What is the major purpose of schooling?– Social well-being– Schools are social institutions intended to transmit

and expand knowledge and develop critical thinking.

• Are these two institutions compatible?

Commercializing the School• Business executives advocate using

national test scores as the main criterion in hiring workers

• A job candidate who demonstrates the ability to read radical left-wing literature, raises questions about worker safety, and environmental hazards are not likely to be hired.

Barbara Finkelstein• Many students seem uninterested in

intellectual development unless it pays off in employment and salaries

• They are uncaring about the homeless and disadvantaged

• Academic students are prone to:– cheating– buying term papers – taking drugs to enhance performance– paying someone to take an exam– falsify resumes.

How are schools commercialized?

• Channel One• “Free” teaching materials• Exclusive contracts for vending

machines• Report Cards• Naming rights for school buildings.

Channel One• Gives 10 minutes of news – 2

minutes of commercials• Schools receive loaner free TV's• Ralph Nader

– “Channel One corrupts the integrity of public schools and degrades the moral authority of schools.”

“Free” Teaching Materials• According to Noreena Hertz:

– “Money buys action and influence”– “In exchange for money, corporations

expect a significant return”– What is this “significant return?”

Vending Machines

Field Trips• Trips to museums, art galleries,

and gardens have been replaced with trips to stores like Sports Authority, Petco, and Acme.

Report Cards

Naming Rights for School Buildings

Microsoft School of the Future

School of Disaster• Do you want these guys

running your school?