If there was any doubt....

For those of you wondering about the corporatization of education, here is a recent example of corporations putting their big red-boot clad foot into the public education system.

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/new-brunswick/story/2006/11/20/nb-noburgershere.html

Up until recently, MacDonald's mascot Ronald Mac was teaching kids about healthy living in NB classrooms in exchange for money for gym equipment etc. This just after the province had implemented policies regulating the kind of food being sold in schools to healthier options and banning fast foods.

Thankfully, there was much outrage over this. However, it looks like the schools still accept money from Mr. Mac but maybe this is what Henry Giroux is referring to when he says
"Corpora-tions can be enormously helpful by virtue of providing financial resources to universities in ways that expand the public face of the university, rather than control its curriculum, rather than set limits as to what kind of research can be done." Or, in this case, elementary schools?

Now, if the teachers and students in New Brunswick weren't all being given free laptops by HP Canada, I would maybe believe the Minister of Educations' indignation at corporate influence in schools.

Carolyn