The debate over school naming rights came up on Kiss108’s Matty in the Morning today. Starts here…
and then Mayor Warren joins the conversation…
by Greg Reibman | May 1, 2012 | Newton | 4 comments
The debate over school naming rights came up on Kiss108’s Matty in the Morning today. Starts here…
and then Mayor Warren joins the conversation…
drivers man be like
Men's Crib November 3, 2023 8:51 am
Here’s a report on the topic from Channel 7
Off topic but how can Ch. 7 have a reporter named Janet Wu?
I believe in public schools and the mission of public education. While I acknowledge the reality that private funding is now necessary to fund many school projects, and the excellent work the NSF has done over the years, naming rights in the buildings to me crosses a line. Naming rights sends a message to students that everything can be bought, that commerce trumps all. Students should be able to enter classrooms and buildings without having brand names or names of wealthy citizens who can afford to make large donations plastered on them. The library, of course, has used naming rights to fund many of its worthy projects; names appear in several places throughout the building. But the library is a place for all citizens, not just students. The purpose of school buildings is to be a place for educating students. I think the less advertising and “selling” to fund the schools, the better. I happen to believe that proposition 2 1/2 is to blame. Revenue should come from taxes, where citizens all contribute fairly to the good of the community. Public education is one of those goods, benefiting the entire community. To sum up, I think it’s pretty gross for some rich guy to want his name plastered on a school wall so everyone knows he gave boatloads of money. We’re all in this together. It’s called public education.
Read more: Is selling naming rights at Newton schools a pass or a fail? | Newton TAB Blog http://blogs.wickedlocal.com/2012/05/01/is-selling-name-rights-at-newton-school-a-pass-or-a-fail/#ixzz12tg2xcc6MMmk
@Jan– I appreciate your position on naming rights, and agree that Prop 2 1/2 is to blame for insufficient funding on a municipal level. Unfortunately Prop 2 1/2 isn’t going away, and our schools are underfunded. We have to deal with that reality. We can deal with it by accepting less educational offerings and lower standards, or we can get creative and try to generate additional funding through alternative revenue sources. I support whatever solution[s] offers the best educational opportunity for our children.
I think selling naming rights is an excellent idea. Personally, I don’t agree with your interpretation of the message it sends to our kids. I happen to think it’s a fairly innocuous one. And I happen to be a very message sensitive guy, who has railed against other school policies that I do believe send the wrong message…
I did not support the installation of surveillance systems in our two high schools, in part because I believe it creates an atmosphere of distrust between administrators and students. I do not support breathalyzers at school events, because that sends a message of presumed guilt, which is contrary to general legal standards…
But as far as naming rights… Show me the money!!!