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Easton Area School District is considering advertisements in schools and buses to generate income.

It’s about time.

In November of last year I wrote a two-part opinion about schools and advertising. I’m pleased to see that EASD is continuing to move forward with the idea (at the very least, it isn’t dead).

Now, there will undoubtedly be those in opposition to advertising. Purists who believe that schools are for education and not for corporations and businesses to promote themselves. Don’t think that this isn’t a concern of my own, but if conducted under strict guidelines that the district can impose on advertisers, the advertisements could result in being a benefit to students.

The Morning Call reported one resident’s concern.

“Easton resident Hubert Etchison cautioned the board on what it may be getting into based on having been in the advertising business for more than 15 years.

“It’s a very slippery slope. You could end up with ads for condoms or ads for Froot Loops in the cafeteria … you will be shocked at how many people will be clamoring for ads to put in the schools,” he said.”

I say, “Nonsense.” If precautions are taken by the school district, which they are surely inclined to do, that won’t happen.

Guidelines will have to be developed. No religious, or political advertising. No alcohol or tobacco, among others that will need to be imposed. Age appropriate advertising that meets the requirements for the age groups that will see the ad.

Rather than being in fear of the sky falling, Mr. Etchison could view the idea as a new sunrise and an opportunity to influence children positively. Rather than fearing condom ads, how about an ad from St. Luke’s that includes the percentage of STD cases in the U.S.? Instead of a Fruit Loops ad, a McDonald’s ad that only shows a healthy salad, complete with nutritional information?

EASD could follow Parkland School District’s example. Parkland was the first district in our area to approve advertising and it has been a money maker for them. They began with half their fleet of buses in 2012 and have since expanded their advertising area to other available space, including newsletters, event programs, and more. They have a panel that includes teachers and residents who must approve any advertisement by an 8 of 10 vote.

EASD is obviously seeing the potential for generating a supplemental revenue to support education through advertising. Neither Parkland or Easton school districts would be the first to try it.

New Jersey became the first state in the northeast to allow districts to display advertisements on their school buses, noting that districts could earn up to $1,000 per bus by selling ads, The Star-Ledger reported. Other states like Ohio, Utah and Washington had also considered a similar move.

Two years ago, Florida’s Orange County Public Schools adopted an advertising program that allows marketing in areas including online, on lunch menus, play sponsorships and a parking garage billboard. In about 18 months, the district had made about $270,000, according to the Orlando Sentinel.

There Have Been Failures.

The interiors of 16 schools in Pennsylvania’s Bucks County Pennsbury School District were decorated a bit differently one year: They were new homes to advertisements – some as large as 5’x10′ .
The move was expected to bring in $424,000, a much-needed financial boost amid the district’s $3 million budget cut that year, but failed to meet those expectations.

Some of the failure was due to the inability of a contracted service to obtain advertisers, of which they weren’t obligated to meet a specific number, or face a penalty of reduced commissions for not meeting expectations. Of the advertisers they did provide, the service took a whopping 30% of the gross sale.

The contracted had no real incentive to succeed and put little effort into their sales effort, hoping Pennsbury would provide them leads.

The answer is for school districts to approach advertisers directly, cutting out the middle-man firms. The advertiser would be given specs for the advertisement and must provide the finished product (banner, placard, etc.) for placement, after approval.

Wishing EASD Success

I hope EASD institutes an advertising program and it’s successful. While it won’t directly affect our school tax paid to Wilson Area School District it might have WASD looking to take advantage of generating money through advertising.

That might result in our tax burden being alleviated a bit, or at least stabilized for years to come.