This is pretty appalling: Not content with exposing kids to junk food on television and on every street corner, McDonald's (NYSE: MCD) has apparently decided that it needs to reach out to kids on their report card envelopes.An Orlando parent was upset when her 9-year-old daughter brought home her report card. But it wasn't Ds and "acts obnoxious in class" comments that annoyed this mom: the envelope the child brought home displayed a nice advertisement for McDonald's -- the chain whose food can have such a bad impact on health that it inspired a hit documentary.
The Campaign for a Commercial Free Childhood is, of course, not too happy about all this, and issued a press release demanding that the ads be pulled.
As a practical matter, these ads aren't really a big deal. For better or for worse, kids are exposed to fast food advertising pretty much from the cradle to the grave. But does the school really need cash so badly that it would participate in a campaign to market unhealthy food to children?
Another problem I have with it: The ad offered kids a free Happy Meal for their good work. Shouldn't kids be taught to work for knowledge and pride, not crappy food and imported toys?
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
12-06-2007 @ 2:42PM
Brian Patterson said...
My son got e coli 0157 H:7 from eating a McDonalds meal in August 2002. He was in the hospital for 7 days on morphine. Both McDonalds and Zurich Ins denied any liability yet the CDC National PulseNet database found PFGE matches.
My advice to anyone is to save their receipts and a uneaten portion of their meal for further testing and confirmation.
12-07-2007 @ 6:10AM
Patti said...
mcdonalds has healthy choices now, and I think it is perfectly fine to give a reward for academic excellence. Order the grilled chicken with apple slices instead of the hamburger with fries. mom and dad are happy, and little tiger gets motivated to do good next quarter, now how positive can that be. way to go Mcd's!!
12-07-2007 @ 9:27AM
mark said...
Do you work for Mcdonalds??
Fast food ads have no place on report card covers!
12-07-2007 @ 6:16AM
josh said...
WTF mcdonalds has gone WAYYYYYYYYYYYY to far there i worked there and know no matter what even the "healty choices" are as unhealty as everything else you cholesterol goes as high as the international space station and more stuff you dont wanna know about.
12-12-2007 @ 5:03PM
Ron said...
You mean like how much beef to soy protein is really in their hamburgers?
12-07-2007 @ 6:47AM
LMcEd said...
McDonald's did not put this on your child's report card without the knowledge and approval of the school board. My children have received free pizza certificates from Dominos' Pizza. McDonalds is only encouraging children to do good in school. I haven't seen them holding a child down and forcing a cheeseburger in their mouth. I'm sure McDonald's would give credit toward a salad or grilled chicken instead of a happy meal. I am not a big McDonalds fan, but I do commend them for encouraging children to get good grades.
12-07-2007 @ 6:50AM
Andy said...
I stopped at a McD's nearby the hospital when my wife was in there once, for a quick meal, and got some McNuggets. When I bit into one of them, it felt a little funny. I spat it out and looked at it, and under the fried crust, it was TOTALLY RAW. When I went back inside and asked to speak to the manager, he looked at me blankly and said "...it happens all the time." I asked him if he had ever heard of Salmonella poisoning and how prevalent it is in chicken; he had no clue. Asked for his name to send the ER bill to when I wound up in the ER myself, but he still didn't care. Thank god there was no problem; who would have taken care of the kids?
12-07-2007 @ 7:11AM
bilo said...
There is nothing healthy about a McDonald's salad, unless you have it without dressing or toppings-- even then-- there is nothing healthy about paying 5 dollars for a salad when you could get 4-8 times that ammount of salad at the grocery store.
12-07-2007 @ 7:24AM
ppino69 said...
The advertising pays for the report card and envelope..This was you dont You are living in your own small owrld and dont get the big picture..Someone else is paying for the report card so you can have it for FREE..If you dont like the product,dont buy it..All of us see advertising everyday..You dont have to buy everything you see..If you had to pay for everything advertising pays for..you wouldnt have a penny to your name..Besides..this report card and envelope created jobs for someone..and you dont have to pay for it..the paper..ink..and glue and those who put it together are NOT FREE..
12-07-2007 @ 8:48AM
mominUT said...
When I was in school, report cards did not have advertisements on them. And the WERE free - never in any school system have I heard of anyone having to PAY for their kids' report cards - even in college, I got my grades free (never had to go "buy" the report card), so your comment is just ridiculous!
12-07-2007 @ 7:29AM
Poor student said...
Guess I would have starved :(
12-07-2007 @ 7:46AM
Daphne said...
Please get your story straight! This did not happen in Orlando nor Orange County. This happened in an adjoining county, Seminole, in Oviedo! And if you don't want to use the coupon, throw it in the trash...don't whine and complain!
Your child is going to be exposed to much worse than this!
12-07-2007 @ 7:46AM
Emma said...
You can go to any restraunt in the u.s.a. and they can not cook your food all the way! so mcdonalds isnt the best thing to eat... THEN DONT EAT THERE. maybe you should super size your food, get a water and a small fry or even apples now. its all the choices YOU make!!! if parents dont like it DONT TAKE YOUR KIDS THERE! i never knew of a 7 year old driving their car to mcdonals themselves bc of a mcdonalds advertisment!
12-07-2007 @ 8:00AM
Tony D said...
When my kids were young McDonalds and the rest were a treat, not a way of life. It seems people have to eat at them all most 24/7 because there to darn lazy to cook. Give me a break about breakfast it dosn't take that long to make it at home. Like I said LAZY. O on the raw on the inside. I guess the breading on the outside was raw also? Blame the parents if there kids are fat and lazy like them. Stuff burgers and McMuffins down there throats and sit and play games all day.Take the games away, kickthere butts outside to play and start cooking at home and your little fat pig will lose weight. Try it.
12-07-2007 @ 6:07PM
Bwitth said...
Tony D.....I remember when I was growing up and McDonald's was a treat for us. We had to do chores, do well in school and behave to go to McDonald's. I remember us jumping and singing when it was announced that we were going. I admit that the overall menu isn't the healthiest. But as I'm raising my son, I monitor the choices for him. IF we eat out, I give him two or three options of what he can order. If he asks for something other than what I've offered, I simply tell him "no". And guess what? He's okay with that. The parents are supposed to be in control not the kids. And eating at McDonald's is a treat for us NOW as it was when I was a child.
12-07-2007 @ 8:30AM
H said...
So if McDonalds is picking up the costs for the report cards, are the local residents getting a school tax reduction. May not sound like much to some people but a good number of school districts are large and costly. Did the school board present this plan before the local residents, too. Did they then approve it? Or was this something that was done behind closed doors?
12-07-2007 @ 8:25AM
Kelley said...
When I was a kid 20 years ago. Dairy Queen would advertise on our report cards with the added bonus of a free ice cream cone if you got all A's. So this is not a new concept. The reason it was not a big deal back then is becuase we were always playing outside and very, very rarely ate fast food. This was back in the day when parents still cooked supper.
12-07-2007 @ 8:25AM
jaba said...
Airline "barf" bags, along with those bins that you place your belongings in for security scanning, also have ads placed on them. I like the idea of McDonalds advertising on an airline "barf bag", because that's exactly what would happen if "I" were to eat any food from McDonalds!
12-07-2007 @ 8:35AM
ali6 said...
Fact: cheesburger-33 calories, 110 fat calories, 12 gr fat, 3.5 sat fat, 31 carbs, 25 chol.
Grilled chicken-420 calories, 90 fat calories, 10 gr fat, 3.5 sat fat, 51 carbs, 70 chol. No the grilled chicken is not healthier, in fact thier "healthy" foods are as bad as the regular menu including the salads. Maybe the apples are ok WITHOUT the caramel. Are we talking bout regular report cards? Yeah the school faculty does that and they are already paid. It's not the point of "just throwing it away" it's the encouragement of the adverts. I fro one have to explain to my child the food is nasty and unhealthy but it's still upsetting for her. There's a time and place for everything.
12-07-2007 @ 8:41AM
James said...
You can always find something to complain about,you need to give them a fair shake . Have you ever heard of the Ronald Mc Donald House in Indianapolis Ind.??? Next Riley Hospital for Kids, How many families have stayed there while there chilrren were deathly sick or have Cancer or even dieing.
Theres always some one who wants the almighty dollar and wants to take a company to court. But McDonalds is there to help needy familys in a time of need . Im not a McDonalds employee I'm an individual who belives in giving credit where credit is due.
Andy