JULY 11, 2007

       Corporate America might soon be coming into Canadian classrooms.  Wouldn’t you love to say that your children attend Taco Bell High or Wal-Mart elementary school?  Maybe the kids would like it but is it right for public schools to sell out when it comes to naming rights?

       That’s the dilemma an Ottawa-area school board is facing.  Officials know the school district is in a cash crunch and big corporations have just the money needed for the schools’ survival.

       More and more advertising is popping up in schools.  It’s been gradually happening for years and maybe it just hasn’t been noticed as much as naming an entire school after a company.  When I was in junior high we got a new blue scoreboard in the gym and a giant Pepsi sign beside it.  It made me wonder, “Did Pepsi make this electronic board and donate it or was the company the one that paid for it for the school to buy?”

       It makes sense to me that if the companies are providing equipment or giving money to buy specific items in the school that the corporation gets some sort of recognition.  But if the only income for having, let’s say, Taco Bell High, is the naming rights and perhaps a royalty paid to the school, then no, I don’t believe that is correct.

       But if the Taco Bell company were to pay naming rights and also give a million dollars for the school district to buy supplies, renovate, et cetera, then I believe it could be worth the money as long as it’s not simply about getting recognition for the donation. 

       However, if the company doesn’t contribute anything else to the community it will make the corporation look like it’s all about money.  In this day and age companies have to appear as though they aren’t money hungry and actually care about the community in which it is situated.  It’s a simple PR move.