Bertha--I don't know how I missed your posting!

We plan on doing that--what I'm talking about is more to do with something like having a particular bank pay for t-shirts for a walk-a-thon, or having our newsletter circulated via the backpack express, with thank you ads on the back page. As you know, it's turned out it's not the super that's being problematic, but a little lower down on the food chain.

For the first time I really feel like we're fighting an uphill battle getting funding for the playground. Luckily I'm like a dog with a bone, so I don't plan on giving up, but I really expected more help from places I'm not getting it.

kma- when we id our playground we would write into the townpaper every once in a while with a big thank you(under local happenings)and listed all the businesses that helped us out. Our wonderful Super. could say a thing. And best yet, it didn't seem to bother him a bit.

You, I and a greater majority of the parents in my school are on the same page about this issue!

Our school district has to be one of the few that has very strict regulations in this area. I've heard from reliable sources they even turned down this great new score board in the highschool because the local realtor who was going to be sponsoring it (and at GREAT cost, I may add) wanted to have their name on the thing. I'm not sure WHAT is motivating this issue, though I suspect past, unknown to the public "unethical" bahvior may be playing a factor in it.

They claim they don't want the kids to be "used," but I find that weak. Our super did mention that with the local stuff it's not so much the advertising, but the potential Pandora's box it opens, with parents and relatives wanting to provide services for the school even though they may not be the best choice. THAT leads to the super and BOE having to turn people DOWN, and you know how well some people take that, especially if they can't recognize they're screwing the kids/school. Right now I'm in the process of working around the issue, and trying to find some give since it IS for a playground; it's not exactly a continuing thing.

I feel the same way as you--if someone is willing to lay out money for these kids, and especially large chunks, I have NO problem pointing out their generosity to people. We have had some parents with local businesses say that "it wouldn't be fair, we can't compete with the big boys," but EVERYONE would get "thanked," and a lot of times donations of things OTHER than money are of even greater value. And besides, we shouldn't accept money because someone happens to have more than others to give? My VP is funny, her attitude is "if Pepsi wanted us to rename the TOWN Pepsiville and would eliminate our taxes if we did, I'd tell them to knock themselves out and call it Pepsiworld and make sure you spell my name right on the new tax assessment!"

Hi! What reasons do the BOE, Super, & Principal give for having a problem with this?

I don't even look at this as "free publicity". Because it is not free, they will have handed over some big bucks to you. I would say it is an acknowledgement of their generous contribution to your school and the children of the community.

personally if your BOE, Super, & Principal have a problem with this then I would have to say they don't deserve to have a nice new playground in their school. It implies to me that they want people to somehow think they are responsible for making this happen and not giving credit to those that did.

We're fundraising for a playground, and soon we'll be asking for the big bucks from local businesses and corporations. Naturally, the one thing they're interested in is how they can get free publicity from it. I and my board have no problem with it, but the super, BOE and principal are really making us work around this. We want permission for names/logos to go on our status "thermometer," and in newsletters etcetera, but we're hitting some roadblocks.

Anyone else with these problems? How do you get around this?