For Immediate Release:

Contact:
Andrew Hagelshaw 510-268-1100
andy@commercialfree.org
Susan Linn, Ed.D. 617-232-8390 x2328
Susan_Linn@JBCC.Harvard.edu

Scholastic Drops Golden Marble Sponsorship After National Protest

New York City– After a national grassroots campaign led by the Stop Commercial Exploitation of Children coalition (SCEC), Scholastic Inc. has withdrawn its support for next month's Golden Marble Awards in New York. The nation's leading educational publisher (and publisher of the best-selling HARRY POTTER books), Scholastic was listed as a corporate sponsor of the Golden Marble awards, which celebrate artistry in children's marketing without questioning the ethics of marketing to children. The Awards are hosted by Kidscreen magazine.

Scholastic CEO Richard Robinson wrote, "We wanted to let you know that Scholastic will not be a sponsor this year for the Kidscreen Conference. We appreciate your recognition that Scholastic has a long tradition of providing high quality products and services to teachers, children and parents. This is why I wanted to respond directly and to let you know our plans about the conference."

"Scholastic set a good example," said Andrew Hagelshaw, Executive Director of the Center for Commercial-Free Public Education, an SCEC member organization. "It's wrong to celebrate the multi-billion dollar flood of marketing that targets children without regard to its impact on their well being." Stop Commercial Exploitation of Children organized a national email campaign encouraging members and allies to write and urge Robinson to pull Scholastic out of its Golden Marble sponsorship. "Now, we urge concerned parents to write again," Linn says. "Let's thank Scholastic for its responsible decision and urge that they heighten corporate awareness of marketing's effect on children."

Stop Commercial Exploitation of Children (www.commercialexploitation.com) will host the COMMERCIALIZATION OF CHILDHOOD: HOW MARKETING HARMS CHILDREN summit on Monday, September 10 at the Grand Hyatt in New York from 9:00 AM to Noon, followed by a rally featuring "Have You Lost Your Marbles?" awards for some of the worst offenders in children's marketing. The summit's panel of educators, psychologists, physicians and grassroots contacts will discuss the alarming escalation of corporate marketing directed at children

Have You Lost Your Marbles" Awards Blast Pernicious Marketing to Children while Praising Sweden's Stand

Teachers Oppose Exclusive Cola Contracts Teacher's Union membership comes out in opposition to all

Western Pennsylvania IU To Sell Exclusive Pouring Rights

Coke Forced to Announce Changes in Dealings with Schools

NYC School Board Warned Against Selling Out Students

Madison School Board Votes to Leave Coke Contract

House Passes Student Privacy Amendment

California Bills Passed to Protect Children from In-School Advertising

School Board to Vote on Commercial-Free Schools

Advertising in Schools Robs Communities of Local Control Over Education

New Math Textbook Advertises to Children

Channel One In Schools Costs Taxpayers $1.8 Billion Per Year

Education Center Follows CBS News Story with Release of "Top Ten" Points in School Ads

[Top] - [Home] - [Press Room] - [Become a Member]