For the last 15 years, the Education Policy Studies Laboratory has studied trends in schoolhouse commercialism and has found that this practice is increasingly pervasive and diverse. The manifestations of marketing in public schools include incentive programs, such as Pizza Hut's "Book It!" program; contracts that grant soft drink and junk food…

The Simon Property Group, United States' largest mall developer, since 1998 has partnered with local public school systems to open 19 alternative public schools in malls in 11 states through its nonprofit Simon Youth Foundation. Lafayette Square's school, with a 200-student capacity is the newest and largest, which according to a watchdog group,…

Summary of the "Fifth Annual Report of Trends in Schoolhouse Commercialism" prepared by the Educational Policy Studies Laboratory's Commercialism in Education Research Unit at Arizona State University (www.schoolcommercialism.org). Includes discussion of program and activity sponsorships, exclusive agreements, incentive programs, appropriation of…

The two students who won commercial sponsorship for their college education embody entrepreneurialism's darker side-the growing commercialism of schools and conscious targeting of students as lifelong consumers. This update discusses developments in program, activity, and materials sponsorships; exclusive agreements; electronic marketing;…

Evaluation of a Wisconsin initiative compared academic progress in three types of smaller K-3 classes (15 students per teacher) with that in comparison schools. Smaller classes had fewer discipline problems, more time for instruction and individualization, varied instructional strategies, and more content and in-depth coverage. (Contains 10…

The Center for the Analysis of Commercialism in Schools found that the number of press citations from 1990 to 2000 discussing seven types of commercializing activities (program sponsorship, exclusive agreements, incentive programs, appropriation of space, sponsored educational materials, electronic marketing, privatization, and fund raising)…

Economic inequality is tearing our civil society apart. Addressing this problem through school governance reforms (vouchers, privatization, and charter schools), or curriculum changes (teaching new basic skills), or a new instructional focus (Rifkin's civil sector) ignores the real challenge: redistributing wealth and softening inequalities.…

Despite the rosy image projected by child-centered reformers, zealots and profiteers are really driving the charter school movement. Charter schools cannot flourish without drastic wage reductions or huge spending increases, nor will they benefit America's poorest children. The market, which has already destroyed kids' neighborhoods and parents'…

While schools cannot--should not--attempt to provide answers to controversial questions, they do need to teach children to pose those questions themselves and to examine them objectively. Regular forums in public schools in which various social issues are analyzed and discussed from a variety of viewpoints are one possibility. (Author/DCS)

The author contends that education is implicated in the perpetuation of social inequity if it continues to present itself as the institution through which equality of opportunity is realized. Educators will make a step toward equity when they recognize that students do not have equal opportunity. (MD)

Global tensions necessitate increased understanding of the Soviet Union by Americans. Educators can help by convincing their professional organizations to support activities aimed at increasing the availability of information and by making sure that local efforts to provide information to students are clearly unbiased and are purely educational in…

Analyzes three characteristics of American public culture that help explain our civic quietism: (1) lack of meaningful information for making informed decisions; (2) lack of democratic rights in the workplace; and (3) lack of a cooperative social vision. American schools as presently organized provide few opportunities for learning and…

Social consensus concerning drug use and abuse may be only skin deep. Despite numerous "anti" campaigns, Reagan administration is saying "no" to funding for drug treatment and prevention programs, while tobacco advertising and growing incentives continue unabated. Despite these and other societal addictions, schools must reason calmly and offer…

Despite differing opinions on discussing nuclear policy in the curriculum and how students are best prepared for citizenship, educators can work together to assert the right of United States citizens to have access to information necessary to participate in the policymaking process. (MLF)

There are concrete ways to bring international concerns into classrooms. The answer to whether we want to do so can only emerge out of civic and professional debate. Lists of organizations and resource materials about hunger and related problems are provided. (MLF)