Future Shop in schools. What’s all the fuss over a thin red line?

Two weeks ago, the Toronto District School Board agreed to paint two proposed computer labs in the shades of grey and red, the corporate colours of Future Shop, in return for $100,000 for computers for two Toronto high schools to be chosen within seven kilometres of a Future Shop store.

With a looming $28 million deficit and a computer budget cut by 22%, the Board voted in favour of the corporate donation.

Quoted in the Toronto Star, Board chair John Campbell supported the Future Shop donation saying, "Future Shop is trying to be a good corporate citizen. No, we don't want to see corporate logos all over the schools, but we're talking about a coat of paint.

But not all agreed. Some, like Trustee Michael Coteau, claim that letting a company "brand a room (with corporate colours) where children are going to learn is a dangerous thing."

The Board’s careful consideration of the pros and cons of such an initiative is understandable. Schools should not become venues available for advertising and promotions. (In Quebec, it would be illegal to do so in schools attended by children under 13 years old.) But this is about a corporate donation with some form of recognition. There are already logos in schools on hardware, software, sport equipment, etc. And logos are welcome during fundraisers (think Pizza Pizza).

As Trustee Bruce Davis said: “We’re on an eight-year replacement cycle for the computers in our schools. Who of us would put up with working on eight-year-old technology?" Putting up with a grey and red paint job is a small price to pay.

This issue became somewhat of a controversy in Toronto over the past few weeks. I was interviewed on the subject, along with a school board representative, on TFO (Ontario’s French Television Network) on April 23^rd. You can view the interview – in French – by clicking on this link - Panorama TFO

This isn’t the Future Shop’s first donation to schools in return for the paint job. The Surrey Board of Education accepted a similar offer a few years ago. This picture shows the grey walls and the “thin red line”. I wouldn’t lose sleep over it.