Many schools allow companies to advertise in and around the schools facilities. There are different feelings towards this controversial topic, yet personally I find myself siding with the "anti-ads".
When a company offers to promote themselves in a public or private school, it isn't simply a "done deal". This company is advertising and also paying the district to let them advertise. Schools are very costly to maintain so the source of profit gained by allowing these companies to come in and infiltrate the schools, is a pro for the school itself. Also with all the advertisements students will more likely purchase the product, or form some sort of bias joined with the businesses during their school careers. This would be quite beneficial to the companies themselves.
Although the raise in funds may be a good thing for schools, children of all ages are once again exposed to advertising. There is never a time when commercials aren't being watched or shown, whether its the television, radio, or internet. There are always some sort of ad being shown to display their products to future customers. Unfortunately in todays society, the future customers are children of school age. Out of many of those children only a handful are well developed in their decision making process. With the pressure of commercials encouraging to purchase the "next best thing" in order to fit in, adolescents lose a sense of who they are. They strive to be what ads and commercials portray the best, most popular, or rebellious kid to be, and miss out on the important opportunity of finding themselves.
The allowance of advertising and commercializing in schools is just another distraction from kids decision making process. Schools should be a place of education, comfort, and fun. Not a billboard for the advertising industry.
