Teaching material on the path "from cocoa beans to chocolate" – with the Ritter Sport logo. An information package from Volkswagen on the topic of "Mobile in climate protection". Or a branded bicycle helmet with the logo of a large hardware store, which schoolchildren can get for free as part of the "Campaign helmet on."
The Federal Association documents these and other examples of sponsorship and undisguised product advertising at school of the consumer centers in a current brochure – and denounces them together with the Association for Education and Upbringing (VBE). Economic actors are pushing into schools with diverse, often free offers, criticizing the consumer advice centers and the education union.
The ban on advertising in schools is being undermined by the sponsorship of teaching materials, among other things. The associations call for a general ban, "which protects schoolchildren against economic influence in the school sector," according to an analysis published on Wednesday.
The ministries of culture of the federal states are throwing the teachers' union and the consumer centers before looking away. Rather than relying on "school ownership” when dealing with sponsorship, they should tighten school laws, control advertising bans, and disclose all sponsorship activities in a transparency register.
Hamburg only publishes sponsorship from 5000 Euro
A survey of the two associations, which took place from March to August 2019 except Bremen and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania involved all states, shows that the school ministries have so far no systematic overview of sponsorship. North Rhine-Westphalia, Saxony and Saxony-Anhalt state that they have prohibited individual sponsorship offers because of the intended advertising effect. But only in Hamburg is there a sponsorship register for cases from 5000 euros. However, 90 percent of the sponsors are not mentioned by name because they refused to give their consent.
Berlin also does not name any specific case studies, as in the response from the education administration emerges, which is present in the daily mirror. In August 2019 it became known, however, that safety vests with reflective fabrics were distributed to first-graders in Berlin, which the auto parts dealer Autodoc had donated. The campaign was not stopped because of the 34. 000 – fold advertising for the online company, rather it is reportedly entangled in rights and Propaganda controlled from Russia accused.
Advertising in schools – unlike in most other federal states – is not prohibited in Berlin. According to the school law, the school conference decides on its placement and also on sponsorship with a simple majority, according to the administration's response to the VBE survey. Other countries are also generous when it comes to sponsors. Despite a clear advertising ban, Brandenburg allows "donations and allocations from third parties with the aim of advertising or public relations".
Underfunded schools are forced to accept free offers
VBE chairman Udo Beckmann emphasizes that his association is not opposed to using materials from external organizations in schools. However, it is unacceptable that underfunded schools are forced to win over the economy for their financing. Because the companies would also use expert visits, competitions, and teacher training to place logos, products, brands or topics. Marketing agencies developed their own "school formats" for this purpose.
The VBE and the consumer advice centers are now calling on the federal states to set up coordination centers that advise schools on sponsoring by uniform nationwide standards – and thus the "company-independent school as a place of learning". To defend. Also, the topic of advertising and sponsorship must be included in the curricula of teacher training – and the curricula of schools.
Again and again, there are warnings about advertising effects and dependence on certain brands in connection with the digitization of schools. If a software company donates educational programs and free class sets of tablets or laptops are provided, the school does help to arrive in the digital age at all. But at the same time, students and teachers are imprinted on these products – an aspect that is missing in the analysis of the associations.
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