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Schools
Happy Meal offer leaves mom unhappy
She objects to a McDonald's ad on the cover of her daughter's report card from school.
Associated Press
Published December 6, 2007
ORLANDO - An Orlando parent said she was appalled when her 9-year-old daughter brought home her report card cover and it contained an advertisement for McDonald's promising free Happy Meals for good grades, attendance and behavior. Her complaint prompted the Boston child advocacy group Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood to demand Wednesday that McDonald's immediately stop the report card advertising in the Seminole County School District. "The promotion takes in-school marketing to a new low," said Susan Linn, the co-founder and director of the campaign, who said she had not contacted the restaurant chain or the school district. The group issued its demands in a news release. "Children's lives are just saturated with advertising and marketing. Schools should be commercial-free space," Linn said. "It bypasses parents and targets children directly with the message that doing well in school should be rewarded with a Happy Meal." Regina Klaers, a district spokeswoman, said school officials are not aware of the group's demands and had a complaint from only one parent. McDonald's paid $1,600 to print 27,000 jackets for elementary school report cards. Before that, Pizza Hut printed the covers for the past 10 years, she said. The School Board will revisit the issue in the spring when it considers who will sponsor next year's covers, she said. The issue came to light last week when Susan Pagan's daughter Cathy, a fourth-grader at Red Bug Elementary School, brought home her report card and wanted to get a free Happy Meal because she earned good grades. Pagan told her daughter, "Our family does not eat at fast food chains," Pagan said. "And now I'm the bad guy." Pagan said she is not opposed to fast food, but she said there are professional and appropriate ways in addressing sponsorship and "not directly bombarding our children with this marketing."
[Last modified December 5, 2007, 23:39:37]
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Comments on this article
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by par
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03/06/08 12:46 AM
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please send me a list of store in Woodlanhills, Encino , Reseda, Tarazna for special for chicken nagat.thanks
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by PAR
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03/06/08 12:45 AM
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Hi,my daugher is 5years old .since she was one year, I use to take her to the mcdonalds two time a week, now she is grow up and wants to go at least four times a day,I need to find out how can I find stor and which day of the week they offer special
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by May-Britt
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02/26/08 09:13 PM
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Stephen Colbert saw how ridiculous Pagan's effort was and turned it into hilarious television. Ms. Pagan, get a life.
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by Misty
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12/12/07 11:16 AM
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It's a freaking happy meal. Get over it!
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by Andrew
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12/10/07 10:59 AM
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Children shouldn't be offered unhealthy treats as a reward.How many overweight people use food as reward? Happy Meals aren't bad here and there, but it shouldn't be a "reward" it's food. Take them to a zoo, spend time with them thats the best reward.
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by Cartman
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12/10/07 05:38 AM
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I think next year the sponsor should be Colt, Smith and Wesson or Ruger. I mean guns don't kill quite as many school children as MSGs.
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by APB
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12/09/07 09:08 PM
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IS this your homework larry?
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by Lu
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12/08/07 10:58 PM
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WHATEVER! MD's is only a once-in-a-while treat! If you provide your children with a well balanced meal, and just every once in a while allow a Happy Meal, doesn't make an obese child. Get over it you phony "Mother Earth Do Gooders".
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by Bill
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12/08/07 07:31 PM
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App, the article clearly says that McDonalds' promises a free happy meal. It does not say the ad suggests that the parents buy them one. Where did you get that from?
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by dedstick
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12/08/07 02:29 PM
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Enough with the corporate branding on everything! Pizza Hut, McDonalds etc. etc. All designed to hook impresionable little minds and ingrane the corporate message. We continue to squander our wealth in Iraq etc. and ignore our childrens needs here.
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by LP
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12/08/07 10:58 AM
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If you are offended at the audacity of the company to suggest to the kids that their parents might buy them sonething -well, I hope that you also never let you kids watch movies, TV, listen to radio, go online, etc. Corps have always funded schools.
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by Doug
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12/07/07 09:51 PM
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IF Pizza Hut has been on the cover for the past ten years and the fourth-graders mom is just now noticing advertising on it, maybe we should all be "appalled" that the mother has never taken the time to notice her daughters report card before.
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by Josh
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12/07/07 05:08 PM
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Why is a for-profit, private corporation allowed to use a public, tax-funded institution as an advertising outlet to children? Why hasn't anyone been allowed to ask this question? It's time we look at what role corporations should play in school.
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by Sarah
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12/07/07 02:40 PM
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Larry:just the opposite.I take the kiddies to McD for Happy Meals because they run & play & bike & skateboard enough that I know McD WON'T make them obese.All things in moderation.Who wants to foot the bill for this printing when McD no longer can?
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by Matt
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12/07/07 02:32 PM
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For all whose supporting the mom, please write a check for the schools for the 1,600 dollars. That way the schools can get what they need to try to teach your child proper choices in eating habits.
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by app
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12/07/07 01:56 PM
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This is not about rewarding kids with a coupon for a free happy meal. It's an ad suggesting kids get their parents to BUY them one. There is no free reward here. All of you would freak if it said 'Tell your parents to buy you a Wii, you earned it'.
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by Tony
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12/07/07 11:04 AM
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One meal, no matter how askew of normal nutritional fare, does not obesity make. Feasts for a reward are a time-honored tradition handed down from every culture ever resident on this planet. The woman said it. Children are saturated. Ad went unseen.
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by Natasha
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12/07/07 10:11 AM
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I hope those are paid McDonald Corporation shills responding. Good parents will protect their children from poison pseudo "food" and unwarranted corporate influence both in school 'and' at home.
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by JB
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12/07/07 10:03 AM
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Kids need to learn to be savvy shoppers. It's more important than algebra.
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by Scott
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12/07/07 08:30 AM
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C'mon get real ... she'd have to be REALLLLYYYYYY, REALLLLYYYYYY good to ensure obesity
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by Sherry
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12/07/07 06:25 AM
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I agree with Gary. It is the parent's responsibility to teach their values to their children and if you don't believe in happy meal rewards then you tell your child you will not allow it and explain why. And explain about life not being fair too!
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by Christina
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12/06/07 09:31 PM
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Why was it ok when it was Pizza Hut for 10 years?...now McDonalds is a problem? The schools need money, it's a fund raising source, if it buys supplies for kids or funds a budget cut program..what's the issue?
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by Colin
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12/06/07 09:26 PM
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Vote to increase school taxes, and maybe, schools won't resort to this desperate funding opportunity
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by Amber
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12/06/07 08:20 PM
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Why didn't the parent notice it the years before? I'm 25 years old and when I was in 1st grade I got a free pizza for every 10 books I read. Yet again, another extremist parent trying to ruin a company's good intentions with negative perceptions.
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by Don
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12/06/07 06:58 PM
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Yep,she s a Pagan allright. I bet if it said Hillary for President she wouldnt have a problem!
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by Loki
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12/06/07 06:25 PM
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Children will be bombarded by commercial advertising wherever they go. It's IMPOSSIBLE to avoid it. Rewarding children for educating themselves I think is brilliant. Maybe not with fast food, we are the fattest country as it is but you know.
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by Susan
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12/06/07 05:40 PM
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I think it is funny/scary/creepy to see advertising on everything and everywhere these days. But, as far as Mickey D's...let the kid have a mcburger once in a while...it's part of childhood!
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by Haven
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12/06/07 05:08 PM
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This woman as far, far too much time on her hands. Sounds like the Wicked Witch of Suburbia.
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by Courtney
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12/06/07 03:25 PM
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As a kid I was never taken to eat at fast food restaurants, but I once got a happy meal coupon for a "good behavior award" at school - my mother and I were both excited. Is the objection really to the advertising, or just to fast food in general?
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by Laura
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12/06/07 03:09 PM
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This is one of the many reasons why I'd home school kids if I ever popped 'em out.
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by Lisa
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12/06/07 02:23 PM
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I am sure income has nothing to do with this. I agree that rewarding kids is great, we just need to change what is considered a reward. If kids get good grades I am sure it wasnt from eating McBarfies. Reward them with more learning tools.Makes sense
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by Ryan
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12/06/07 02:17 PM
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Its a sad reality but if schools are to have what they need for education purposes this may need to become more prevalent. Lets face it there are many programs that are cut from schools due to lack of funding. They have deep pockets and can help out.
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by Consider
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12/06/07 02:06 PM
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Could it be that she may not be as unhappy with what McDonald's sells than with the fact that you are unable to do anything at all without being bombarded by corporate symbols and advertisements? What happened to learning for the sake of education?
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by Michael
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12/06/07 01:35 PM
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when i was a kid, they gave us personal pan pizzas from pizza hut.
i forget why, it was for reading or grades
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by James
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12/06/07 12:53 PM
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I agree with the woman that McDonalds, or any company that unhealthy, should not be allowed to directly advertise to children. For the parents that actually care to put things into context for their children, it is very rude to advertise like this.
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