At an event it calls McTeachers Nights, McDonald’s has teachers “work” behind the counter of a local store and sell burgers, fries, and shakes to their own students. The burger giant uses these events to market its junk food to impressionable young students -- children the corporation hopes to turn into lifelong customers of its junk food brand.
Enough is enough. Tell McDonald’s to leave our schools -- and our children -- alone, and stop McTeacher’s Nights!
Dear Mr. Easterbrook,
I urge you to end the exploitative practice of McTeacher’s Nights.
As you know, on McTeacher’s Nights, teachers “work” at a local McDonald’s in hopes of raising much-needed funds for their schools. Parents and children are encouraged to eat at McDonald’s so they can “see their very own educators serve up hamburgers, fries and shakes.”
It is wrong to exploit teachers’ authority and popularity to lure kids to McDonald’s, a corporation whose core products are burgers, fries, and soda. McTeacher’s Nights negate the good work of educators to create healthy food habits and environments in schools. Parents and students trust teachers to make decisions based on what’s best for children. Using teachers to market anything to a captive audience of schoolchildren undermines that trust. But given the dire health consequences, promoting a fast food brand is especially unconscionable. Educators should not have to choose between school resources today and the health of their students tomorrow.
This is the moment for action. In your first year as CEO, it is finally time to end the abusive practice of using teachers and educational institutions to promote McDonald’s to schoolchildren.
The health of current and future generations of children will benefit from your leadership on this issue.