Posted on 02/04/2010 9:03:03 AM PST by Darren McCarty
The banner ad across the Lincoln school district’s website proudly proclaims it has been recognized as one of the best school districts in Michigan.
The criteria for Lincoln and eight other districts being selected?
A $25,000 check.
Nine southeast Michigan school districts paid $25,000 each to a Detroit-area public relations firm to be “named,” a top school district. That firm, in turn, bought airtime on a Detroit-area television station to broadcast a feature on the state’s best schools. A website - bestschoolsinmichigan.com - also features the nine schools.
Mentioned nowhere on the videos or the website is the fact that the districts paid for the honor.
Representatives from the public relations company, Sussman Sikes, did not return multiple messages from AnnArbor.com over the past week. It’s unclear exactly when the program first aired, but it has been featured more than once on WXYZ Channel 7.
The Lincoln school district's website brags of the best schools honor.
A number of other school districts across the region, including Ann Arbor, were approached about paying to be part of the program. Ann Arbor was approached twice, including about a month ago, said Liz Margolis, Ann Arbor’s director of communications.
“Their pitch was that they would love Ann Arbor to be part of a half-hour show, and that they would showcase whatever we wanted showcased in exchange for a fee,” Margolis said. “I couldn’t justify it in my budget, but I also felt it bordered on the line morally and ethically (because there was no selection criteria).
“As long as we were willing to pay the freight, we would be selected as one of the best schools in Michigan.”
Lincoln Superintendent Lynn Cleary sees it differently.
(Excerpt) Read more at annarbor.com ...
Bribes are OK as long as taxpayers are informed they are being screwed.
If they would have forked over a little more money they may have recieved a Nobel prize.
PR is the lifeblood of suburban school districts. It is absolutely essential to deceive parents into thinking that their schools are “different”. In Michigan, that “difference” just means that they aren’t Detroit.
In relation to homeschoolers and China, Finland, Korea, Kazakhstan (Yes, Kazakhstan.), and many other countries, our really different suburban and rural schools ARE Detroit.
Yup...I get the same thing in the mail a couple time a year. You have been named to the Who’s Who in Engineering. Please send $200 for your copy.
Same thing with my kids in some Honor Society.
Playing off of peoples egos. What a scam.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.