By now, anyone who uses the web has become used to the ads. What was once a commercial-free medium is now jammed with promotional banners and product advertisements that flood the screen with nearly every click of the mouse.
Schools seem headed in a similar direction.
U.S. Army billboards, Coca Cola vending machines, Pizza Hut food courts, and McDonald's All-American scoreboards are all on the increase. The California-based advocacy group has been a leading opponent of Channel One, which gives schools TV and video equipment in exchange for access to a captive audience of young people. The Center's site has lots of relevant information for resisting these inroads, including research about Channel One's impact on children, its dubious content, and stories of efforts around the country to oppose its use. But the Center and its site are not only about resisting Channel One. It has several projects designed to raise awareness about other aspects of the growing commercial penetration of public education.