HelloCoolWorld.com: E-Zine!

Back to School

HAVE YOU BRANDED YOUR CHILD YET?

by Sandy Haksi

It’s that time of year again… The end of summer (sigh) and the rise of traffic jams and stress as kids head back to school. Yet once the craze subsides and routines are re-established, this time of year comes with a sense of relief as life returns to normal. We take comfort in the belief that schools are a safe haven and our children are being given the skills to become thoughtful, contributing members of society. But as schools struggle to pay the bills, corporations are stepping in and a new educational landscape is emerging. What exactly are today's kids learning? How to be good students or good consumers?

Corporations in the Classroom, a revealing new documentary from the creators of CultureJam, investigates the myriad of ways the public school has become the latest target for marketers —where they’re sure to find their audience— a $2 billion a year industry. In this sober but entertaining film produced by Make Believe Media and directed by Jill Sharpe, product placement is in the playground and on school walls, floors, and desks, all for sale to the highest bidder. Corporate sponsored educational materials are sent direct to teachers' mailboxes like the oh-so-cute M&M mascots showing children how to count with candy. Perhaps most egregious are the TV and radio programs, complete with commercials, that are pushed on captive audiences of kids as they ride the bus, eat lunch, or sit zombified in class.

What a difference from our own journey back to school when the makers of The Corporation visited a Grade 8 classroom! One of The Corporation alum who was along for the ride was writer & co-creator Joel Bakan, who gives us the inside scoop on his new book about how corporate greed is trumping our children's best interests. And we check in on our Campaign 4 Corporate Harm Reduction, which has picked up more donations recently (awesome!). Finally, we talk to workers on the frontline of the youth sex trade in Vancouver, and why the Olympics could make the problem worse.

Have a cool back to school,

--Kat, Terry, Sandy, Atef, David, and the entire Hello Cool World team

To help fund these e'Zines, we look for co-promotional sponsors and content that fit with our goals and is of interest to our supporters. So when the National Film Board of Canada approached us with Corporations in the Classroom, we felt it was excellent material to embrace considering our own ongoing work on corporate and youth issues. And we love that the NFB is giving our members such a great deal on the educational versions that lets non-profits and community groups publicly screen the film! We know from firsthand experience how effectively a film can be used to get the message out and mobilize grassroots action. Ironically, it's through their US branch so it's only available to our US members.

Until Oct 31^st Hello Cool World members in the US can buy CORPORATIONS IN THE CLASSROOM with the rights to screen the film in public for only $69.95 (regular price $195). More specials on page 2.

Offer Expires October 31, 2008. Cite Order Number GC2008 on all orders. Offer not available online. Mail, Email or Fax a Purchase Order or Call with a Credit Card:

National Film Board of Canada
1123 Broadway, Suite 307
New York, NY 10010
Tel: 1 800 542 2164
Mon to Fri: 9 am-7 pm (ET)
Fax: 1 866 299 9928
Email: d.mcginty@nfb.ca or newyork@nfb.ca

There's no discount, but Canadian members can order Corporations in the Classroom through Moving Images Distribution.