Businesses have long advertised in school newspapers and yearbooks to boost sales of products to students. Local restaurants have sponsored promotional contests in schools. Businesses have also sponsored school sports and displayed company logos at games. The Carnegie Foundation recommended in 1996 that schools create more partnerships. Business partnerships with soft drink companies are only beneficial to the soft drink companies.
Schools earn tens of millions of dollars a year from soft drink companies.
Business partnerships provide many schools with funds to make up for shortfalls in their operating budgets. If schools lost these millions of dollars, students and taxpayers would suffer. U.S. Education Secretary Roderick Paige, who was named in 2000 as National Superintendent of the Year by the American Association of School Administrators, is one of many educators around the country who recognize the value of business partnerships with soft drink companies. Low-income schools need the soft drink money the most. Low-income and urban schools don t have as much money as suburban schools in wealthier communities.