http://www.cnn.com/2007/EDUCATION/03/02/reading.for.pizza.ap/index.html
NEW YORK (AP) -- You've read the book, now eat the pizza.
Since 1985, that's been the gist of Pizza Hut's Book It, an incentive program used by 50,000 schools nationwide to reward young readers with free pizzas. The program is now under attack by child-development experts who say it promotes bad eating habits and turns teachers into corporate promoters.
Book It, which reaches about 22 million children a year, "epitomizes everything that's wrong with corporate-sponsored programs in school," said Susan Linn, a Harvard psychologist and co-founder of the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood.
"In the name of education, it promotes junk food consumption to a captive audience ... and undermines parents by positioning family visits to Pizza Hut as an integral component of raising literate children," Linn said.
This week, Linn's organization called on parents to end their schools' participation in the long-standing program.
[snip]
I can remember the Book It program from when I was in elementary school, and I really enjoyed it. It gave me something to work for as a kid and the rewards were great! Family night to Pizza Hut was a good time, who cares if my folks had to eat pizza too, I was getting my own pizza just for myself. It encouraged me to read books and I think had a good part in creating my enjoyment of reading. Am I some Pizza hut loving corporate created drone these days? Nope, Pizza Hut ranks as one of my least desirable pizzas out there.
As a father of 2 boys, the eldest of which is starting real school next year, I would be disappointed to see this program axed by the save the children nanny state loving fools out there.
NEW YORK (AP) -- You've read the book, now eat the pizza.
Since 1985, that's been the gist of Pizza Hut's Book It, an incentive program used by 50,000 schools nationwide to reward young readers with free pizzas. The program is now under attack by child-development experts who say it promotes bad eating habits and turns teachers into corporate promoters.
Book It, which reaches about 22 million children a year, "epitomizes everything that's wrong with corporate-sponsored programs in school," said Susan Linn, a Harvard psychologist and co-founder of the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood.
"In the name of education, it promotes junk food consumption to a captive audience ... and undermines parents by positioning family visits to Pizza Hut as an integral component of raising literate children," Linn said.
This week, Linn's organization called on parents to end their schools' participation in the long-standing program.
[snip]
I can remember the Book It program from when I was in elementary school, and I really enjoyed it. It gave me something to work for as a kid and the rewards were great! Family night to Pizza Hut was a good time, who cares if my folks had to eat pizza too, I was getting my own pizza just for myself. It encouraged me to read books and I think had a good part in creating my enjoyment of reading. Am I some Pizza hut loving corporate created drone these days? Nope, Pizza Hut ranks as one of my least desirable pizzas out there.
As a father of 2 boys, the eldest of which is starting real school next year, I would be disappointed to see this program axed by the save the children nanny state loving fools out there.