Complaints Lodged with RTE concerning the promotion of Google to School Children

national | education | news report Wednesday December 03, 2008 17:37 by Mark C - CCFE (Campaign for Commercial-Free Education) oscailt at indymedia dot ie

Campaign for Commercial-Free Education campaigns against the imposition of advertisements in to school curricula (again).

The recently launched "Doodle 4 Google" campaign is a slick method of promoting Google to school children, without their consent, and usually without the consent of their parents. It is a scheme that is heavy on Google brand recognition, but very low on curricular relevance; this is something that CCFE has come to expect from commercial schemes that are promoted in schools.

Today, CCFE launched a campaign against RTE for its one-sided version of the "Doodle for Google" piece which aired on Nov. 19th on The Den. Speaking about the programme, Joe Fogarty, a primary school principal, had the following to say: "“Doodle 4 Google” promotion seeks to make Google's corporate logo the focus of art lessons for school children as young as 5 years of age."

Continuing, he claimed: "The RTE report gave glowing, uncritical coverage to the marketing scheme and featured children from Tiermohan NS in Kildare as well as a company spokesperson.

"Blandly promoting a commercially-driven exercise is not “providing News and Current Affairs that is fair and impartial, accurate and challenging” (RTE’s Strategic Framework Values p1). The widespread opposition to in-school marketing was entirely absent in this report. RTE should not be airing “Advertorials” straight from the marketing department to the childrens’ TV.”

Furthermore, the INTO (the union representing primary schools) has made recommendations against commercialism in schools, saying: “Commercial logos, slogans, brand names or product orientated activities should not be presented to children in class either through posters, worksheets or certificates.”

Further information about this campaign, and also other anti-commercialism in schools ventures, can be found at the link below.