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 3 of 3)
12-07-2007 @ 8:26PM
constance said...
Lisa, you missed my point on so many levels it's not even funny. People like you, who support the status quo regardless of whether or not it's wrong are exactly the ones who are making this country go down in flames. There is a difference between charity and advertising and yes, plenty of people consider chicken the healthy alternative to burgers! To say that someone can get away with doing a lot of wrong, because they do some good-now THAT is insane. Maybe next time a John Wayne Gacy comes around, we can let him get away, too. After all, he did a whole lot of good while committing the murders! FYI-I stated in my post that we DO NOT patronize fast food restaurants. We support organic farmers, humane practices and fair trade with our purchases.
12-08-2007 @ 6:58PM
Ron Mayo Rocks Your World said...
ZOMG LAWLZ! Mc. Donalds is ruining our poorly raised children and making them suck down piles of fatty food that will inherently force them into a would-be remake of "Fat Albert". It's the jumping-jack Christ end of the world.
Lets all riot against the Government for not parenting our children for them. Who are they to try to force us to teach our children about healthy eating and tell them not to eat foods like Mc. Donalds? After all, as Joseph Stalin taught us, the Government should control everything. Including the parenting of our children. How right he was!
I hereby submit that the Turkey Woman who began this crusade lead our people on a march on Washington to strike down the forces that grant us the freedom to teach our children right and wrong and the ability to parent them as we see fit!
If we are to have ads in our children's Report Cards it should be something wholesome. Thus the ad rights shall be given to Cigarette and Condom companies. At least that's good moral values at work. "Get an A - Get Laid" brought to you by the School Board.
Finally - To the Woman who began this fiasco. I recommend that before you hold your next press confrence you shed the Chicken McNuggets I saw cuddled around the great rolling hills that compose your neck.
Also - Get used to telling your Daughter "No" because as she gets older it's only going to get worse. I honestly can't wait till Little Ms.McDonalds turns 16 and comes home with a Pea-In-The-Pod because the Government didn't tell her that the Hefty-Size Trojan in her Report Card was important. Hope you don't feel like the "Bad Guy" there Big Mac.
Choke it down.
12-10-2007 @ 12:33PM
teetee said...
aint nothing wrong wit mc all yall need to do is start hiring the right people and calm down on the fast foods!
12-12-2007 @ 2:59PM
Bfrank said...
I am just wondering how dumb some of you are? The comment from mominUT that she nevers paid for report cards is just plain STUPID!! Of course you pay for report cards, from your taxes(or tuition for private schools), to PTA, to fundraisers you are colloecting money for your schools which helps to pay for many things including the paper to print report cards. If you are going to stop McDonalds then you would have to stop every fast food restaurant from doing advertising at schools. At my kids school they bring home advertising from Dominos Pizza for Pizza night, many other fast food locations put together a card for freebies for good grades and the fundraising sales of cookies and candy should be looked at too. So why just McD's? Also, the idea that it is CRAZY to eat at McDonalds because its cheaper to buy your own food at the market is true, but its true for all eating out Make your own to save money and to reaaly save grow your own. And last but not least McDonalds is not the only place to have product issues, I choose not to eat at McDonalds in order to lose weight. If I stopped eating at every restaurant that I heard something about I would never go out to eat.
So what I am saying is GET OVER YOURSELFS!!!
12-14-2007 @ 11:11PM
C said...
It is COMPLETELY inappropriate for McDonalds to advertise on a report card. COMPLETELY INAPPROPRIATE. It is the equivalent of having presidential candidates having campaign ads up on the class' chalkboard.
12-15-2007 @ 8:08PM
Joe said...
Keep as much advertising by companies out of schools as possible!
What a DUMB idea.
12-17-2007 @ 3:19PM
kitkat said...
mcdonalds is defiantaly not good for people, and putting cupons on report cards is just wrong. yes, no one is forcing u to eat mcdonalds, but the advertizing and everything tells you that it's ok to eat it all of the time. maybe if mcdonalds began to give out nutriton facts or warnings of some sort, them it would be better. but till then, i'm staying clear of mcdonalds.
1-20-2008 @ 8:21AM
zac said...
i want to advertise in mcdonald