False Advertising
Dear Smart Brief,
I received a newsletter from you last week with a headline screaming: A NEW ELA CURRICULUM FOR A NEW ERA. It went on to talk about a fabulous new program from Amplify that even went so far to suggest that kids might just start tweeting and texting in iambic pentameter. That's how good this new curriculum, which is infused with digital technologies, does the following:
"helps digital natives take on rigorous college- and career-readiness standards. Our core ELA curriculum for grades 6-8 has been built from the ground up to bring the exciting media experiences students are used to outside of school into the classroom. Amplify ELA engages students deeply in complex texts and inspires them to read more critically and write more vividly."
In very small print is your disclaimer that this is an ad and does not necessarily represent your views. Hey! Wait a minute! What?
If this is an ad, why is it appearing as one of your newsletters? Why, if it does not reflect your view, are you sending it out? Oh, I get it. It's all about the money.
Thanks for making that clear,
Teri
P.S. Here is a new theme song you might want to exploit.
"It's all about the buck, bout the bucks, no endorsement.
It's all about the bucks, bout the bucks, canned programs.
It's all about the bucks, bout the bucks, panacea.
It's all about the bucks."
I am growing weary of professional organizations accepting ads and saying at the same time that it is not an endorsement. Pearson name badges at a literacy conference? Yes, you heard that right. It sent many of us scrambling for big black markers. How is that not some sort of unspoken endorsement. How do you think attendees felt? What message does it send? It is time to JUST. SAY. NO.
Let's have policies about accepting ads and funding from corporations that eliminate teacher autonomy or create more and more onerous tests or set standards without input from educators. I am willing to pay more for registration if it means I do not become a walking ad for some corporation. Please, let's stop this madness.
I received a newsletter from you last week with a headline screaming: A NEW ELA CURRICULUM FOR A NEW ERA. It went on to talk about a fabulous new program from Amplify that even went so far to suggest that kids might just start tweeting and texting in iambic pentameter. That's how good this new curriculum, which is infused with digital technologies, does the following:
"helps digital natives take on rigorous college- and career-readiness standards. Our core ELA curriculum for grades 6-8 has been built from the ground up to bring the exciting media experiences students are used to outside of school into the classroom. Amplify ELA engages students deeply in complex texts and inspires them to read more critically and write more vividly."
In very small print is your disclaimer that this is an ad and does not necessarily represent your views. Hey! Wait a minute! What?
If this is an ad, why is it appearing as one of your newsletters? Why, if it does not reflect your view, are you sending it out? Oh, I get it. It's all about the money.
Thanks for making that clear,
Teri
P.S. Here is a new theme song you might want to exploit.
"It's all about the buck, bout the bucks, no endorsement.
It's all about the bucks, bout the bucks, canned programs.
It's all about the bucks, bout the bucks, panacea.
It's all about the bucks."
I am growing weary of professional organizations accepting ads and saying at the same time that it is not an endorsement. Pearson name badges at a literacy conference? Yes, you heard that right. It sent many of us scrambling for big black markers. How is that not some sort of unspoken endorsement. How do you think attendees felt? What message does it send? It is time to JUST. SAY. NO.
Let's have policies about accepting ads and funding from corporations that eliminate teacher autonomy or create more and more onerous tests or set standards without input from educators. I am willing to pay more for registration if it means I do not become a walking ad for some corporation. Please, let's stop this madness.