[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 31 (Wednesday, March 12, 1997)]
[House]
[Page H924]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                SCHOOL FUNDING IN AMERICA NEEDS OUR HELP

  (Mr. FORD asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks and include therein 
extraneous material.)
  Mr. FORD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to draw attention to an article 
that appeared yesterday in the USA Today written by columnist DeWayne 
Wickham entitled ``Cash-Short Schools Need Nike More Than Twain.''
  In order to make up for shortfalls in their educational budget, the 
school system in Seattle has figured out a creative way to gather and 
galvanize funds for the school system. They have invited commercial 
advertisers into school grounds and school property to advertise to 
help make up for the shortfall.
  I say to this Chamber and I say to colleagues on both sides of the 
aisle, what kind of message are we sending people in America? We can 
find money for programs throughout the budget. When it comes to 
children, we have to ask corporate America, and I salute our private 
citizens and the private sector for coming forward, but at a time when 
prison construction is growing at a rapid and exponential rate, Mr. 
Speaker and Members on both sides of the aisle, in this bipartisan 
fervor, what kind of message are we sending the children, schools, 
parents, and teachers throughout this Nation when we do not have the 
courage, the temerity or the will to step up to the plate and make sure 
that future generations of America are prepared, equipped, and ready 
for the challenges that we face in the 21st century marketplace.

                    [From USA Today, Mar. 11, 1997]

              Cash-Short Schools Need Nike More Than Twain

                          (By DeWayne Wickham)

       The Washington Bullets do it. So do the Indianapolis Colts, 
     Boston Celtics and New York Yankees. But if opponents get 
     their way, Seattle's school system won't be following the 
     lead of these and other major sports franchises. While the 
     moguls of pro sports are lining their pockets with revenue 
     from deals that transform sporting venues into giant 
     billboards, Seattle's cash-strapped system is embroiled in a 
     debate over whether to allow ``reputable'' companies to 
     advertise their products on school grounds. Cigarette and 
     liquor ads would not be allowed.
       The system's bean counters predict that the sale of 
     advertising on athletic field scoreboards and at selected 
     locations inside school buildings might generate $1 million 
     annually. That's roughly 8.5% of the $35 million funding 
     shortfall facing Seattle schools over the next three years.
       But the plan, approved by the school board in November, is 
     under attack. Last week, it tabled a call by its school 
     superintendent to suspend the proposal. The superintendent's 
     request followed complaints from people who want Seattle's 
     schools to be an advertising-free zone. Like the 
     constitutional separation of church and state, they think 
     this divide should be a basic tenet of our way of life. I 
     think they need a reality check.
       Schools already are overrun with advertising. The free 
     kind. Most of it is worn into classrooms by schoolchildren. 
     They are human ads for Tommy Hilfiger, Calvin Klein, Nike and 
     a host of other name-brand makers. Banning advertising won't 
     stop the walking commercials that many fashion-conscious 
     students have become. The only thing this policy reversal 
     will do is deepen the school system's financial problems.
       The projected budget deficit, a result of caps on state 
     education aid and property tax rates, has forced the board to 
     consider requiring thousands of middle and high school 
     students to ride public buses to save on transportation 
     costs. As this revenue crisis deepens, opponents remain 
     unmoved. They say students are a captive audience, and it 
     isn't fair to allow companies to target them, even if it 
     would bring in some badly needed cash. But if the job of 
     schools is to prepare youngsters for the real world, why not 
     introduce them to it by opening the doors to advertisers? The 
     benefit of doing so can be more than financial.
       School systems that permit advertising are in a better 
     position to influence the kinds of ads students see. They can 
     reject moronic, tasteless ads. Conditioning advertisers to 
     make more intelligent, less socially offensive commercials 
     can produce some valuable, long-term rewards. Commercial ads 
     are an important part of this nation's pop culture. Like it 
     or not, the Energizer Bunny is probably better known to most 
     schoolchildren than Mark Twain. But that can change.
       Forced to compete for the chance to put their images before 
     youngsters--many of whom will be making lifelong product 
     choices--advertisers will bend over backward to satisfy the 
     demands of educators for the highest quality commercial 
     messages. Enter Mark Twain.
       That's the kind of change school officials ought to be 
     climbing over each other to achieve. Students who grow up 
     with smart ads will become adults who expect no less from 
     product promoters. That's a small but important victory 
     against the dumbing of America.
       Seattle can turn its fiscal crisis into an educational 
     triumph for students--and advertisers. Or it can fool itself 
     into believing that by refusing to accept paid ads, city 
     schools will be commercial-free zones.

                          ____________________