Local business can't donate to local schools

[sonsorae]

Here's the situation:

I have four local business willing to donate money to apply towards a new score board for Leonardtown High School.

The stipulation:

Local business get to advertise their business name on the score board.


Sound like a win-win situation, right? Well, that's not the case in good ole St. Mary's county. According to the school board, they can't accept such donations and won't allow local business to advertise at the school facilities. Isn't it amazing how Coca-Cola is all over the place in the schools (e.g., vending machines). Hell, doesn't Chopticon have a Taco Bell in their cafeteria?

What gets me is that Calvert County and Charles County allows sponsorship to help support their local school sports. What makes this county so special that we are too rich to afford donations from local businesses?

WHAT SAY YOU???!!!!

 

[Radiant1]

WHAT SAY YOU???!!!!

The elementary schools don't seem to have any problem handing out Pizza Hut or Chik-Fil-A coupons for reading incentives. :shrug:

 

[aps45819]

Do you feel it would be OK for ANY business to advertise at a school?
How about

XYZ Bar & Lounge
We Don't Card​

or how about

Rose's
Stop by and see your future if you get knocked up and drop out.​

Actually, that one's not a bad idea

 

[lovinmaryland]

The elementary schools don't seem to have any problem handing out Pizza Hut or Chik-Fil-A coupons for reading incentives. :shrug:

i agree my son gets those all the time

 

[nachomama]

Here's the situation:

I have four local business willing to donate money to apply towards a new score board for Leonardtown High School.

The stipulation:

Local business get to advertise their business name on the score board.


Sound like a win-win situation, right? Well, that's not the case in good ole St. Mary's county. According to the school board, they can't accept such donations and won't allow local business to advertise at the school facilities. Isn't it amazing how Coca-Cola is all over the place in the schools (e.g., vending machines). Hell, doesn't Chopticon have a Taco Bell in their cafeteria?

What gets me is that Calvert County and Charles County allows sponsorship to help support their local school sports. What makes this county so special that we are too rich to afford donations from local businesses?

WHAT SAY YOU???!!!!

I was just in Chopticon the other day and I don't recall seeing a Taco Bell in there...

 

[sonsorae]

Do you feel it would be OK for ANY business to advertise at a school?
How about

XYZ Bar & Lounge​

We Don't Card


or how about

Rose's​

Stop by and see your future if you get knocked up and drop out.
Actually, that one's not a bad idea

Good point, however I would think the schools can set up criterias to avoid unwanted sponsors. Do you honestly think those types of establishments you referenced are willing to shell out more than $3,000 to get their name out. I doubt it!

 

[robbie]

Don't think Charles co. gets that stuff either. My sons school field has no dug outs or score board. Neighter does the girls. They go to other schools in the area and are really puzzled why they can't have a decent field. Some of the Newer ones have more than one at that and we cant get one good one.

 

[aps45819]

Good point, however I would think the schools can set up criterias to avoid unwanted sponsors. Do you honestly think those types of establishments you referenced are willing to shell out more than $3,000 to get their name out. I doubt it!

Setting criteria to avoid unwanted sponsors opens the door to lawsuits.
Aren't a LOT of the ball teams here sponsored by bars and distributors? Seems like it would be a natural for them to want to get their name on a high school score board.

 

[Midnightrider]

Setting criterias to avoid unwanted sponsers opens the door to lawsuits.
Aren't a LOT of the ball teams here sponserd by bars and distributors? Seems like it would be a natural for them to want to get their name on a high school score board.

I'll bet that new scoreboard from penthouse world be something else!!!

 

[Tinkerbell]

The elementary schools don't seem to have any problem handing out Pizza Hut or Chik-Fil-A coupons for reading incentives. :shrug:

My 5 year old brought home a reading incentive one for a Mountain Mudd Shake yesterday.

 

[jenbengen]

That's dumb! I can understand the local liquor store, tobacco companies, etc not being able to advertise, but anything else should be fine. I don't get it.

 

[sonsorae]

I was just in Chopticon the other day and I don't recall seeing a Taco Bell in there...

These damn kids tell me everything....guess I was the dummy for believing....LOL

 

[aps45819]

That's dumb! I can understand the local liquor store, tobacco companies, etc not being able to advertise, but anything else should be fine. I don't get it.

It's called discrimination

 

[terbear1225]

it does seem silly that they can have score boards advertising Coke but not for any local business. why not just set it so that they can't advertise anything that is ilegal for minors?

 

[AndyMarquisLIVE]

Don't think Charles co. gets that stuff either. My sons school field has no dug outs or score board. Neighter does the girls. They go to other schools in the area and are really puzzled why they can't have a decent field. Some of the Newer ones have more than one at that and we cant get one good one.

Title 9. They put as much money into every women's sport as they do the football team. Meanwhile, high school boys have the option of playing football and basketball.

There are too many problems with funding school activities.

I could've sworn Westlake had a Pepsi logo on their scoreboard. I'll check in a few minutes though.

 

[terbear1225]

It's called discrimination

isn't it just as discriminatory to accept money from major corporations but refuse it from local businesses?

 

[BernieP]

Here's the situation:

I have four local business willing to donate money to apply towards a new score board for Leonardtown High School.

The stipulation:

Local business get to advertise their business name on the score board.


Sound like a win-win situation, right? Well, that's not the case in good ole St. Mary's county. According to the school board, they can't accept such donations and won't allow local business to advertise at the school facilities. Isn't it amazing how Coca-Cola is all over the place in the schools (e.g., vending machines). Hell, doesn't Chopticon have a Taco Bell in their cafeteria?

What gets me is that Calvert County and Charles County allows sponsorship to help support their local school sports. What makes this county so special that we are too rich to afford donations from local businesses?

WHAT SAY YOU???!!!!

It's not the advertising that is the problem. The athletic boosters are not allowed to pay for improvements to the fields either. ALL funds for improvements and maintaining the facitlities must come from the school system's budget. The problem is the appearance of favoritism and prejudice. In the past when private donations were used to erect lights (at LHS) there was a public outcry that the SMCPS was giving them special treatment.
If these businesses want to support athletic teams at LHS or any other school they can make donations to the boosters and the individual teams. For example the soccer teams put up boards advertising their sponsors at all home games.

 

[vraiblonde]

Setting criteria to avoid unwanted sponsors opens the door to lawsuits.

I've done fundraisers like this for schools, Scouting and Soapbox Derby, and it's never been a problem. You simply don't hit up the businesses that you don't want advertising in that venue.

When did they start not letting local businesses sponsor school stuff? When my daughter had her end of year picnic in middle school, Willows donated all the fork/spoon/napkin sets in exchange for a promo, and nobody said a word. Another business donated the sodas in exchange for the same. But this was 10 years ago, so maybe it's a new policy? :shrug:

 

[vraiblonde]

It's not the advertising that is the problem. The athletic boosters are not allowed to pay for improvements to the fields either. ALL funds for improvements and maintaining the facitlities must come from the school system's budget. The problem is the appearance of favoritism and prejudice. In the past when private donations were used to erect lights (at LHS) there was a public outcry that the SMCPS was giving them special treatment.

That is such crap This is why I hate bureaucracies and avoid them at all cost.

 

[BernieP]

I've done fundraisers like this for schools, Scouting and Soapbox Derby, and it's never been a problem. You simply don't hit up the businesses that you don't want advertising in that venue.

When did they start not letting local businesses sponsor school stuff? When my daughter had her end of year picnic in middle school, Willows donated all the fork/spoon/napkin sets in exchange for a promo, and nobody said a word. Another business donated the sodas in exchange for the same. But this was 10 years ago, so maybe it's a new policy? :shrug:

See my remark above. It's not about the ads or the business, it has to do with earmarking funds. There are things that the SMCPS won't allow the individual schools control and the scoreboard is one of them. Stupid because a business could underwrite a team - say girls soccer - and nothing would be said. Put in some new grass or a scoreboard that works - not allowed.