The School Committee is one step closer to approving a new policy that would open the doors for Cranston school buses to display advertising messages.
The committee approved the first reading of a new school bus advertising policy last night. The committee must approve a second reading before the policy is officially enacted.
And then the Rhode Island General Assembly must pass enabling legislation giving the district the authority to sell advertising on its buses. House legislation that was submitted earlier this year died in the Health, Education and Welfare Committee, which opted to hold the bill "for further study."
Still, the School Committee vote signals the district will be ready to leap on the opportunity to generate new revenue from using its fleet of buses into rolling billboards.
The district would hire a company to operate and maintain the entire advertising program after issuing a request for proposals. Fees would be paid out of the advertising contract.
Every advertiser and advertisement would need final approval from the School Committee and every ad must meet a set of guidelines that enforce a family-friendly standard.
Ads cannot promote violence, hostility, promote any religious or political organization, promote tobacco or alcohol or "be slanderous."
The ads also must not "promote, favor or oppose any candidacy, bond issue, budget issue or public questions submitted for any election," according to the policy.
The rules would apply whether the district keeps school bus operations in-house or if it outsources the job to a contractor such as Dattco or First Student, according to the policy.
The ads could be placed both inside and outside the buses.
Revenue from the ads would be broken into thirds. Seventy percent would go towards replacing the existing school bus fleet. Twenty percent would go towards programs "determined by the school district." The remaining 10 percent would go towards capital expenditures for school improvements.
School Committee Chairwoman Andrea Iannazzi said School Committeewoman Janice Ruggieri "took the lead on this issue" and deserves credit for getting the measure to where it is today.
The City Council last year approved a resolution calling upon the General Assembly to pass enabling legislation for cities and towns to sell ads on school buses.
The resolution’s sponsor, Councilman Paul Archetto, said the measure is “one way to think outside the box” and a way to limit the property tax expense for education since “we all know the property owner pays the most amount per capita for education.”
The school district could raise about $300,000 to fund educational programs, Archeto said.
The lone no vote came from Councilman Steve Stycos, who said he is wary of opening the door to commercial advertising on school property.
“My concern is who is going to want to advertise on it,” Stycos said before casting his vote. “People who advertise are the same that advertise on cartoons, those are candy bars, chips, soda, things that are contributing to childhood obesity. I see danger in this proposal.”
Children could get mixed messages, urging them to eat French fries on the bus and then being taught in the classroom not to eat French fries, Styocs said.
The City Council’s legal counsel, Patrick Quinlan, said there is no state law explicitly preventing the city from selling advertising on school buses, but the city would need to get specific enabling legislation. That has already happened in states like New Jersey and California. There have been arguments on both sides of the issue, with supporters citing a desperate need for new revenue sources and opponents worried about the encroachment of commercial and corporate interests in the schools.
There are also questions about whether children are already overexposed to commercial and marketing messages and if the school system should remain a sanctuary free from advertising.
But with smartphone technology, some argue that children are already opening the door to marketers on school buses and in the classroom.
“We already allow advertising and it’s on handhelds,” said Council President Anthony Lupino, holding up his Blackberry. “They’re already being inundated with this. They’re not pulling pigtails anymore.”