20 years ago, there was less of it, but it was always an issue. When the PTA did programs (say an after school functions, it was very temping to accept McDonald offer of a bevage cooler and free bug juice(sweet, vaguely fruit flavored water)... but it came in a big Yellow barrel with a banner, and "a server" and Mc Donald cups and did want goody bags? full of advertizement?
since NYC school are "open" we had about 20% of the kids in the school bussed in from other areas. most of these kids had fewer economic resourses.
all the free stuff from McDoodoos would have meant more stuff for the kids and more profits for the PTA -- and our pta was busy then buying computers. (a small, 300 student school had a computer lab with 5 computers in 1990-- many school don't have that many yet!)
one of the problems was, about half of us felt we didn't want McDooDoos stuff, because it was to full of ads, and the other half felt, Hey, the kids like McDoodoos, and its free, and the kids see commercials all the time on TV (and a good 20% of us agins, either didn't have TV's, or strictly curtailed TV watching, and limited to PBS! but those all for it, though we were just too weird!)
There is no free lunch, but schools all over US seem to think there is... corporate sponsership is not free!
