Aaron Williams
Allie Reid
Timmy Chong

For years, corporations have sponsored high school sports. Their ads
are found on the outfield fence at baseball parks or on the walls of the
gymnasium, the football stadium, or even the locker room. Corporate
logos are even found on players’ uniforms. But some schools have
moved beyond corporate sponsorship of sports to allowing “corporate
partners” to place their names and ads on all kinds of school facilitieslibraries, music rooms, cafeterias. Some schools accept money to
require students to watch Channel One, a news program that includes
advertising. And schools often negotiate exclusive contracts with soft
drink or clothing companies.

Some people argue that corporate partnerships are a necessity for
cash-strapped schools. Others argue that schools should provide an
environment free from ads and corporate influence. Using appropriate
evidence, write an essay in which you evaluate the pros and cons of
corporate sponsorship for schools and indicate why you find one
position more persuasive than the other.

Lots of schools agree to contracts with corporations in
order to get more money

In turn, extensive agreements can lead companies to
gain too much control over in a school setting

Consider if partnerships are more hurtful or helpful to
a school as a whole, and respective reasons as to why
one is a better option

Ideas Presented:
◦ Many schools agree to corporate sponsorships or partnerships in
order to fund their activities
◦ The questioning of whether the benefits of such partners outweighs
the negative results they can bring

Ideas Implied:
◦ When schools gain money from social contracts, students pay less
for the respective products
◦ Sponsors over extended time are more likely partnerships. These
types of agreements lead companies to hold more power
◦ Smaller or shorter agreements are more likely sponsorships. They
may hold some influence, but a lot less actual power

Defend: Corporate partnerships and sponsorships are
good because they can help schools in tough financial
situations

Challenge: Corporate partners can be harmful to a
school because they can gain too much control and
power over a school’s decisions

Qualify: Although some corporate partnerships may be
beneficial, the possible negatives overcompensate for
the positives

Qualify: although some corporate partnerships may be
beneficial, the negatives overcompensate for the
positives.

Refined: Although corporate partnerships may be
beneficial to schools in need of money, schools that
have a choice should opt for very little to no corporate
partnerships to minimize unnecessary advertising
within the learning environment.
PROS
CONS
School gets money that can be used to
fund a variety of activities and facilities
Can contribute to less of a learning
environment
More financial depth in a school means
lower costs for its students
Too much power to certain corporations
Students are already exposed to
advertising through the media everyday
Unnecessary influences and bias
Advertising will not affect the student’s
much
Company sponsors can choose cheap and
low quality goods
Partnerships can open a student’s eyes to
the world of business
Corporations may not select things in the
best interest for the students
A quick and efficient way to gain a sum of
money
There are safer alternatives to attaining
money for schools

Define and explain corporate partnerships and sponsorships and
their major differences through examples

How schools can benefit, especially poor schools
◦ Short term monetary benefits
◦ Advertisements don’t really affect students
• Why it is not a good idea for schools with money
◦ Unnecessary in a learning environment: Distracting
◦ Other ways to obtain money: Student oriented fundraisers to promote
involvement within the school community
• Corporations can hold too much power and influence over a school’s
decisions
◦
Partners can choose cheaper, low quality goods
◦
Will probably not makes decisions in the best interest for students

Although corporate partnerships/sponsorships are not necessarily
good ideas for wealthy schools, extra money is never bad either.
Neither is advertising, to a certain extent. Regardless, school’s
should make their choices according to what is most beneficial to
the students. There should be a clear priority for the well-being of
the students over the mere financial level of the school. That
being said, there are a great number of possibilities and options
to weigh, such as the location of the school, the extent of the
contract, the type of company sponsoring the school, and the
amount of finances the school already has. Taking such aspects
into account, schools should decide on a case by case basis
whether or not to agree to social contracts. Each situation and
social contract is different, and entail specific regulations as well.
◦ Some schools in desperate need of financial aid should choose
corporate sponsorships or partnerships in order to have the money
and resources to support their students. However, schools should opt
for monetary arrangements that involve less ties to the companies
they deal with so that those corporations have less control over a
school’s choices. A school’s learning environment should not be
affected by outside influences such as companies that don’t
necessarily care about the well being of the students. Transactions
such as one time deals are much cleaner and simpler than long term
partnerships. If a school’s job is to act in order to best benefit the
students, they should choose top quality materials, provided that they
have the money. Instead of gaining large sums of money through
complex partnerships, schools should encourage the school
community, teams, and clubs to help fundraise portions of their own
money to promote involvement within the community, as well as
student independence.