Critics Want to Can Pizza Hut's Book it Program
Read the Book, Eat the Pizza. Is that so Wrong?
Pizza Hut has built their Book It program up over the past 21 years to the enormous presence it now has in today's schools. Book It now reaches 22 million children each year through their program (www.northjersey.com). Susan Linn, a psychologist from Harvard University and co-founder of the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood says that the program "epitomizes everything that's wrong with corporate-sponsored programs in school," Linn goes on to say In the name of education, it promotes junk food consumption to a captive audience ... and undermines parents by positioning family visits to Pizza Hut as an integral component of raising literate children," (www.northjersey.com).
Linn's group, the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood has called on parents and educators to put an end to the Book It program. Linn commented on schools' effort to eliminate soda consumption, and suggested that Pizza Hut pizza should be held under the same scrutiny (www.northjersey.com). In the past, activists have questioned the Book It program, it is only after the recent focus on childhood obesity that a formal effort to end the program has been considered (www.cnn.com).
Pizza Hut will not go quietly into the night, though. Through their Book It program, Pizza Hut has given away more than 200 million pizzas (www.cnn.com). The program has countless supporters, many of which hold powerful political and educational positions. Book It even earned a citation by president Reagan and his advisory committee in 1988 (www.northjersey.com).
The American Library Association, an influential group in the educational system was just one of the members of this advisory committee. "We're really proud of the program," said Leslie Tubbs, its director for the past five years. "We get hundreds of e-mails from alumni who praise it and say it helped them get started with reading" (www.cnn.com).
Pizza Hut, the Dallas-based pizza giant runs the Book It program, which is now the Nations largest reading motivation programs. Book It is conducted annually in about 925,000 elementary school classrooms from Oct. 1 through March 31. A two-month program is offered for preschoolers (www.northjersey.com). The idea behind the program is simple. Teachers set a monthly reading goal for each student; those who meet the goal get a certificate they can redeem at Pizza Hut for a free Personal Pan Pizza. The marketing genius of this program is that the families most often accompany the child, buying more pizza and other merchandise for the whole family (www.cnn.com).
Many educators stand by the Book It program, despite it's criticisms. At Strafford Elementary School in Strafford, Missouri, the approximately 500 students collectively read 30,000 books a year with Book It's help, according to principal Lucille Cogdill (www.cnn.com). "I don't have any negative things at all to say about it," Cogdill said. "I know there's concern about obesity, but Book It is not causing it, and the schools aren't causing it" (www.cnn.com).
While the controversy other this popular reading program mounts, schools Nationwide will continue to participate in Pizza Hut's Book It program.
Published by Sarah Senghas, M.A.
Sarah Senghas holds a Master's degree in Educational Psychology and Counselor Education: Mental Health Counseling, and a B.S. in Psychology. Sarah lives in Tennessee, where she has worked as a Mental Health... View profile
-
Elementary School Memories
A look back at some of the memorable rituals associated with elementary school that everyone remembers.
- What's so Great About Washington Elementary School in Bloomington? Bloomington, Illinois is a community quickly on the rise, New schools are cropping up eveywhere but, in the heart of it all, stands 109 year old Washington Elementary School - an historic building where parents can...
-
Southdale Elementary School is a Wonderful School Located in the Cedar V...
Southdale Elementary School in Cedar Falls Iowa has excellent facilities and faculty. The students are bright and a pleasure to teach. The parents are helpful and involved, an...
- Inside an Elementary School Cafeteria Lunchtime in school cafeterias is a little different than it used to be. Find out what is being served for lunch, what some new rules are and how the students behave in an elementary school cafeteria.
-
Fun Facts About Pizza Hut
Pizza Hut makes America's favorite brand name pizza. Each day people across the world enjoy this delicious Italian treat. If you love Pizza Hut, you'll also love these fun fact...
- Book it Pizza Hut Program Denounced by Critics
- The "Book It" Battle: Why Susan Linn is Trying to Take Away Your Child's Free Pizza
- Career Guide for Elementary School Teachers in San Diego, CA
- Elementary School Kids Backpacks
- Arizona Pizza Hut Selling Meth
- Pizza Hut Offering Full-Time Internship to Twitter This Summer
- Most Innovative Elementary School Programs in Maplewood, Millburn and South Orange
|
|
- It's Already that Time: How Much Will You Pay for Summer Camp?
- To Punish Daughter, Dad Destroys Her Laptop: Tough Love or Too Extreme? (Video)
- What Do You Do with the Valentine's Day Cards Your Kids Bring Home from School?
- Why I Fired My Child's Pediatrician (And How it Saved My Son's Life)
- Parenting Guru: A special Valentine for a mystery 4th grade girl
- Pizza Hut has given away 200 million pizzas though the Book It program.
- Some claim that this program adds to the obesity problem of today's youth.
- Other critics say that Book It is another way that corperate America reaches children and families.
8 Comments
Post a CommentHi- I'm sorry for swearing. It's just that is the only way to explain what it is that Pizza Hut wants. Please excuse me- that was vulgar, dirty, and uncalled for. :-) And Rhonda J. Rains- just to clarify- that swear was not aimed at you, or anybody for that matter. My apologies. :-)
Oops I forgot to add that it also can prompt a family night out to a restuarant now and then. It's good to get out with the family for dinner once in awhile and I for one am so busy it's hard to imagine the long drive (we live in the middle of nowhere) there and back so we rarely go out. However when it's for a reward I then feel I need to make sure she gets that reward and in turn we have a fun family night out.
My daughter used to participate in this program at her old school. C'mon all she got was a tiny pizza for one. I surely don't think a child will get obese solely on their participation in this program. Another thing is my daughter LOVED working towards it. What's wrong with a special treat now and then for work well done? This person is just a pain in the butt and needs to go join that group that went crazy over the superbowl nipple incident, (and is also responsible for like 98% of the complaints about tv and radio) and then they can all go jump off a bridge :) Or maybe go start their own little community with no outside world influence and live happily ever after. I do not view it as a "bribe" I view these programs as "rewards". Kids THRIVE on getting rewarded for something they did and it build their self confidence.
I didn't even realize you wrote for AC... Good article!
I don't see what Linn's big deal is. I really don't. But, very interesting article!
There are so many offers that get circulated through the school or the library. The book-it program is just one of many. Keeping track of all the reading logs makes reading into a chore, at least for the parent. It's sad that people feel they have to bribe kids to read with food and prizes.
Yeah, I think the reason why the critics are picking on Pizza Hut is because the have the biggest, most wide-spread program in the U.S. Good point!
It's interesting that they are the ones getting slammed. Braum's and KFC/Taco Bell have similar programs.