Date: 12-07-2007
The Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood (CCFC) has demanded that McDonald's immediately stop the report card advertising in the Seminole County School District in Florida. To pay for the cost of printing the report cards, Seminole County School Board partnered with McDonald's, which displays its ad as a coupon on report card envelopes, offering free Happy Meals for good grades, attendance, and behavior. Students from kindergarten through grade five are eligible for the prize. Previously, the Seminole County School District was affiliated with Pizza Hut for 10 years. As a member of Better Business Bureau's Children's Food and Advertising Initiative, McDonalds has pledged to advertise only the healthier options to children under 12. However, CCFC complained that the Happy Meal promotion openly mentions cheeseburgers, french fries, and soft drinks as options. The restaurant issued a statement saying, "McDonald's does not advertise in schools. However, we continue to support education initiatives in the communities we serve." The statement further indicated that Happy Meal choices, in addition to hamburgers and cheeseburgers, include Chicken McNuggets made with white meat, apple dippers, apple juice, and low-fat milk.
