The Afterschool Alliance (www.afterschoolnow.org), supported by the Ad Council and the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, are running a public service ad campaign that appears to ridicule Masters swimmers. According to Alliance’s website, “These PSAs use humor to communicate the importance of taking action to support afterschool programs. The campaign includes TV and radio spots, newspaper ads, billboards, web banners and more.”
One print ad has a facial portrait of a smiling, senior gentleman in a pool, obviously a happy swimmer, with swimming goggles on. Superimposed over the portrait are the following words: “There’s nothing more REFRESHING than neglecting our nation’s YOUTH.” At the bottom, the ad continues to say: “When I don’t support afterschool programs, I feel so relaxed and carefree. It’s like I’m doing nothing at all! Unless you call depriving 15 million kids something…”
You can download a copy of the ad from the following website:
www.afterschoolnow.org/print_ads.cfm
Parents
Former Member
Jeff, I doubt very few of us would argue that our society doesn't need more adults involved with children's after school activities, whether those activities are sports, tutoring or mentoring. However, the ads, which were ment for ADULTS, also send a message to CHILDREN. The campaign is telling children that ADULTS are SELFISH and do not care about CHILDREN. I don't know a single adult who truely doesn't care about children's well being, and doesn't contribute in some way (time or money), but I do know a lot of children who's cognitive development hasn't reached a level yet that they would be able to understand the scarcasm underlying the campaign. Aside from the fact that scarcasm is a very poor motivational factor, it is this disreguard of the impact it might have on children's view of adults that makes the campaign truely objectionable.
S. Elaine Hamilton
School Psychologist
Jeff, I doubt very few of us would argue that our society doesn't need more adults involved with children's after school activities, whether those activities are sports, tutoring or mentoring. However, the ads, which were ment for ADULTS, also send a message to CHILDREN. The campaign is telling children that ADULTS are SELFISH and do not care about CHILDREN. I don't know a single adult who truely doesn't care about children's well being, and doesn't contribute in some way (time or money), but I do know a lot of children who's cognitive development hasn't reached a level yet that they would be able to understand the scarcasm underlying the campaign. Aside from the fact that scarcasm is a very poor motivational factor, it is this disreguard of the impact it might have on children's view of adults that makes the campaign truely objectionable.
S. Elaine Hamilton
School Psychologist
