The the current government has led a bonanza of opening up schools to the direct influence of companies, in particular through 'Education Action Zones' (EAZs). Dave Morris.McLibel trial defendant and single parent in Tottenham, North London, examines the threat this poses to our children’s schools, through the involve-ment of one company, the junk food chain McDonald's.
McDonald's have become more and more interested in schools throughout the 1990s, taking part in interview skills days, science week projects, breakfast clubs, work experience placements, pupils' visits to local stores, school fetes, good attendance voucher schemes, painting competitions and reading volunteers schemes. They have also sponsored conferences for governors and are now involved in EAZs (e.g. the one covering 23 primary, junior and secondary schools in Weston-Super-Mare) and claim to spend over a million pounds a year on their 'Education Service'.
What could explain such apparently touching concern for children's welfare? Here’s a clue from the 'Marketing' section of the Corporation's secret 'Operations Manual', the McBible for every local store manager: 'Schools offer excellent opportunities. Not only are they a high traffic [sales] generator, but students are some of the best customers you could have. McDonald's have developed a number of programs that you can take into the schools in your area... Good relations with your local schools can also offer opportunities for crew recruitment.'
In the witness box, during the 'McLibel' trial, the Corporation's Head of Marketing from Chicago admitted that children were 'virgin ground as far as marketing is concerned', and agreed that community and charitable activity was 'good business' which gained 'free publicity'. Educational promotions in schools 'generate better feelings towards McDonald's' and lead to more 'patronage'. Their UK Marketing chief stated: 'It is our [general] objective to dominate the communications arena... because we are competing for a share of the customer's mind.'
The McLibel judge ruled that McDonald's marketing strategy 'exploits children'. McDonald's argument that their advertising was totally legal and not fundamentally different from other companies only serves to underline the damaging effects of the continuous assault on children from industry in general. Do we really want such bodies to have even more direct access to our children, all the more sinister for being dressed up as 'concern' for their welfare? Such organisations should not be allowed within a hundred miles of any school!
The wolves are being invited into the fold, but there is resistance by teachers, parents, children and local communities. It’s up to all of us to defend our kids by encouraging them to see through commercial hype and propaganda and by organising, supporting and strengthening parents groups in every school, children's councils, teachers union branches, local residents associations and general opposition to capitalist ideas.