April 5, 2003
You don't believe the National Theatre for Children is engaged in sheer
propaganda? Read this description, from their website, of one of their programs:
In "Mission: It's Possible," a program favored by Wisconsin Gas, patriotic Professor Dabney Wabney is
assigned by the government to produce a fuel that is plentiful, clean, and safe. After
extensive research and the help of friends and colleagues, she discovers that there is no
need to invent this elusive fuel because it already exists - natural gas. The show's plot
also explains where natural gas is found, how it is transported into people's homes and
why it is considered kind to the environment.
Are the children
really learning about the environment and energy efficiency? Or about what a great,
environmentally friendly, kid-loving corporation Wisconsin Gas is? Can't wait to see
an Enron or Monsanto-sponsored production! Just imagine what children can be taught
about genetically modified foods and nuclear power plants!
Another production,
conspicuously sponsored by Dole Food Co., promotes the virtues of eating fresh fruits and
vegetables-- and provides the children with coupons for Dole products.
Other productions,
to be fair, try to discourage the children from smoking and promote environmental
concerns. These are the Trojan Horses of this scam, usually sponsored by municipal
water and waste departments
. Even the
tobacco companies recognize that it is a political necessity for them to pretend to want
to discourage children from smoking.
Shoprite and United
HealthCare are sponsors. Sponsors pay up to $1,000 per performance at elementary
schools, or $10,000 per week at middle schools.
The National Theatre
For Children actively promotes itself as a venu for corporate sponsors to get their
messages to school children, with subtlety and tact, of course, but no less effectiveness.
Why aren't parents enraged when schools invite corporations to present
plays and organize field trips for students at public schools?
This is one of the most insane things I've heard about. Schools
throughout the United States are inviting corporations to pay for field trips and even to
give "dramatic presentations" to students to get their corporate messages across
to a captive audience in an "uncluttered" environment.
So, are these generous corporations sending children to museums and art
galleries and theatres?
No. They are sending your children to Toys R Us
and Petco and Saturn dealerships..
Isn't this an insult to your intelligence? I mean, they are not
even pretending to attach any real educational value to these excursions. Toys R Us,
for god's sake!
At Petco, the hapless students are presented with coupons entitling them
to free goldfish. Not a free goldfish -- a coupon. They have to
blackmail their parents into returning to the store to redeem the coupons. This is
allowed? This is legal? Don't any parents care about this kind of crass
exploitation of their children's minds? Don't they find it annoying to have
two-bit hucksters in the classroom instead of a teacher?
They are seeing plays designed to teach children the virtues of
consumption, the environmental friendliness of energy companies, and how wonderful it is
to buy things.
The word "uncluttered" comes from Tom Harris, vice president
of sales and marketing for "The National
Theatre for Children" which basically presents advertising to children disguised
as entertainment, and with the informed consent and complicity of principals and school
boards.
Mr. Harris says it's easy to dupe principals into accepting commercial
intrusion, though he wouldn't use the word "dupe". Apparently, 95% of
school boards are clueless enough to allow it.
The word "uncluttered" is chilling. In other words, the
one environment in which children are not yet assaulted and bombarded with continuous
advertising has opened the gates. The other chilling word he uses is
"captive". The children have no choice. They have to be in
school. The parents have no choice-- they have to send their children-- it's the
law.
Was there ever a more flagrant expression of government intrusion into
private lives than this?
This is as close as it gets to the government actually ordering its
citizens to consume. This is the government actively promoting the gospel of
conspicuous consumption. This is not free enterprise. This is corporate
fascism. The minds and thoughts of the young must be turned to the
"correct" attitude.
