School Sells Advertising Space on Lockers to Make Money

Photo Credit: David Brewster for the Star Tribune
In a time when schools are still facing harsh budget cuts and teachers are paying out of pocket for school supplies, it comes as no surprise that schools are shamelessly scrambling for money anywhere they can.
The most recent cash flow fundraiser comes from the St. Francis schools in Minneapolis, Minnesota, where for $190,000-$200,000 a year, advertisers can pay to have their advertisements wrapped on school lockers, according to the Star Tribune.
The nearby Centennial school district is also reviewing proposals this week to strike a deal with School Media, the company that produces the advertisement campaigns.

“I hate to say it’s all about the money, but it probably is. Still, we want to keep student’s interests in mind,” Centennial Superintendent Paul Stremick said.
Centennial also reportedly plans to monitor the advertisements by only allowing ads deemed appropriate for children.
Of course, the issue does not come without controversy, as some members of the school board told reporters they thought it was unethical to market to students in an educational institution and that they planned on voting down the Centennial proposal.
Supporters of the plan argue there isn’t a difference between painting Coca Cola logos on school score boards outside on football fields and painting lockers with advertisements for a local zoo or after school snack brand.
What do you think, should advertising be allowed in schools? Does it make a difference what the advertisement is for? If you are building a start up like this one check out how to build sustainable growth here.