Scholastic and Subway Story Contest not open to home schooled children!

[Sebastian (a lady)]

I think this is just a case of a lack of creativity. Of course I understand their desire to make the equipment a gift that benefits a large group of children. There were more creative ways that it could have been arranged. I know that plenty of the local sports teams would love to have $5000 worth of equipment. Even if it had to be specific equipment, I know many churches or community centers that could have benefited.

I think it is ironic that a company that broke so many of the established rules about what would sell is specifically prohibiting contest entries from families who refuse to accept the status quo. They are, naturally, free to design the contest however they like. They can limit it to fourth graders whose middle names are LouElla. And I am free to buy my next dinner out from Arby's or Maui Taco instead of Subway.

I don't think that I'm entitled to equal access to everything. But if a company holds a contest, they are doing it because it increases their sales, either directly or because there is a long term good buzz generated around their company image. It is worth pointing out to them that they are in fact alienating a segment of their potential customers.

[mommaduck]

I can see both sides here...

 

but! There are many homeschoolers that do not have access to equipment that public and private schoolers do have access to.

[mommaduck]

Letter to Subway:

 

To Whom it may Concern:

 

I was recently notified that there was a student contest taking place with Subway and Scholastic. Unfortunately, we are amoung those that are excluded from the contest due to the discrimination towards the homeschooling community.

 

I understand that the issue may be the $5000 athlete equipment award. Scholastic has solved this issue with other contests by stating that should a homeschool student win, they will be required to choose a school or other non-profit organization to donate the $5000 award to, but still may retain the personal rewards the student would normally retain. Through this, Subway could have included homeschoolers, still been connected to providing equipment to a school, and have taught a valuable lesson to students about doing for others.

 

It is possible that there are assumptions made about homeschoolers by your company as well. Homeschoolers have recently come under criticism for winning other contests. Accusations of having more time to study, coming from more well to do means, etc. These presumptions are false. Homeschoolers must still meet the state requirements of education, must still pass tests and exams in order to acquire higher education, etc. Many homeschoolers do not come from families of means, but rather families that have made sacrifices in order to educate their own children. Some of these children have the same disadvantages as publically educated students: low income, disabilities, rough neighbourhoods, being raised by a grandparent, etc. Some of these students have less access to exercise equipment, thus the reason such a contest would appeal to them.

 

I'm only hoping that Subway was ill-informed when making the decision to discriminate. Particularly against a group that has strongly supported both Subway and Scholastic in it's customer base.

 

Sincerely,

*****

Home School Teacher and Household Manager

[Oak Knoll Mom]

What it does say, according to the rules, is that it is open to private schools. What about the states where homeschools are authorized as "private" schools? I'm not too fond of Scholastic for some of the other reasons that have been listed here, but looks like I won't be rushing to Subway anytime soon either.

 

Exactly what I was thinking. Here in NC my homeschool is considered a private school. We even have an official school name.

[Oak Knoll Mom]

WHY should it be open to all students? It's a business they're running and have no moral obligations to your child or any child other than to serve food in a sanity environment.

 

I'm not all riled up and I don't feel that my kid should be able to participate in everything a public school kid can. However, I feel it is a bad business decision on Subway and Scholastic's part. This contest is an advertisement for them and they are alienating a particular group of patrons.

[Kay in Cal]

Dear Kay (name),

 

We are deeply sorry that the Subway contest has offended you and thank you for voicing your concern. Our intention was never to make independent schooled children feel discriminated against or excluded from this specific promotion. Throughout the course of the year Scholastic runs a number of contests and sweepstakes that are open to all teachers and students. The eligibility of this contest in particular was solely put in place to award a large group of children with the grand prize of $5,000 worth of athletic equipment. We do however understand how home-schooled children could benefit from this type of prizing and will make sure eligibility is open to everyone in future promotions.

 

To show our gratitude for bringing this matter to our attention, please send us the ages of your children and your address and we would be happy to send you a complimentary book to share with them. We truly appreciate your feedback and will make sure a similar situation does not happen again.

 

If you have any further questions please feel free to contact me directly.

 

Best Regards,

 

Samantha Calastro

Scholastic Parent & Child

 

__________________

I assume others got the same email? Anyhow, sounds like in the future they'll think before making competitions "no homeschoolers". Good business just makes good sense.

[Annie Laurie]

Does Scholastic realize how much we spend on books through them?:glare:

 

Seriously. I just went to a Scholastic bookfair and we spend a lot at those, this irks me just a little.

[Annie Laurie]

Dear Kay (name),

 

We are deeply sorry that the Subway contest has offended you and thank you for voicing your concern. Our intention was never to make independent schooled children feel discriminated against or excluded from this specific promotion. Throughout the course of the year Scholastic runs a number of contests and sweepstakes that are open to all teachers and students. The eligibility of this contest in particular was solely put in place to award a large group of children with the grand prize of $5,000 worth of athletic equipment. We do however understand how home-schooled children could benefit from this type of prizing and will make sure eligibility is open to everyone in future promotions.

 

To show our gratitude for bringing this matter to our attention, please send us the ages of your children and your address and we would be happy to send you a complimentary book to share with them. We truly appreciate your feedback and will make sure a similar situation does not happen again.

 

If you have any further questions please feel free to contact me directly.

 

Best Regards,

 

Samantha Calastro

Scholastic Parent & Child

 

__________________

I assume others got the same email? Anyhow, sounds like in the future they'll think before making competitions "no homeschoolers". Good business just makes good sense.

 

 

 

Wow, I'm impressed with the response you received.

[Sebastian (a lady)]

Subway is a franchised operation, isn't it? I'd hate to see the nice fellow that runs our local franchise, and is supportive of lots of youth activities in the area, penalized because of a decision by some legal glop at the firm running their contest.

 

Yet don't franchisees pay fees to the corporation in order to support corporate advertising and special promotions? If a local student wins the contest, I would certainly expect that local franchises would use that fact to their benefit. Why should they only benefit from the contest but not be penalized for the poor way it was written? Let the very nice franchise owners stick up for their customers who are homeschooled.

 

I, for one, am craving a Quizno's sandwich.

[Guest Lia]

Hello all. While I can see the side where "we don't have to have it all" comes into play. I do see the other side of the coin. We pay school taxes and our home schooled children shouldn't be discriminated against. There is a petition to stop this kind of discrimination to children. If you want to sign it... http://www.petitiononline.com/home777/

 

Just thought I would share it with y'all! Have a great evening.

[GreenKitty]

I sent letters to both companies and also signed the petition.

 

If the word 'homeschooler' was replaced with another group, I think people would take it a bit differently.

[angela in ohio]

Hello all. While I can see the side where "we don't have to have it all" comes into play. I do see the other side of the coin. We pay school taxes and our home schooled children shouldn't be discriminated against. There is a petition to stop this kind of discrimination to children. If you want to sign it... http://www.petitiononline.com/home777/

 

Just thought I would share it with y'all! Have a great evening.

 

Okay, I'm only half-joking here: I'm begging you all, if you feel you must sign this petition, please spell words correctly and check what you have written before you hit submit. Sure, we all know public school teachers who write badly, but when you are arguing that homeschoolers are good enough for a writing contest... :001_huh:

[Penny from Tenny]

May 27, 2008

Subway Bans Homeschooled Kids from Essay Contest

By Ned Barnett

Subway -- the multi-national fast-food sub-shop giant -- has shot

themselves in the foot. Again. The goal of their latest promotion

was to win the loyalty of parents of grade school-aged kids -- to

increase market share, revenue and profits. It was supposed to be a

simple exercise in business marketing and promotion.

 

The outcome, however, was far different. By banning homeschooled kids

-- children who are educated at home, as an alternative to public

schooling -- Subway has ignited a firestorm of opposition from a vocal

segment of the marketplace. Homeschoolers, offended by the ban,

spontaneously -- and almost literally overnight -- organized a

national Subway boycott that already has Subway's corporate spokesman

hunkering down. All this happened over a holiday weekend, a time when

people usually have better things to do. Imagine the impact today

when millions of homeschooling parents are back in front of their

computers, and discover what Subway has done to them.

 

America currently has something on the order of three million children

being homeschooled; those children represent an adult purchasing

population -- including parents and grandparents -- of well over five

million often affluent people. Homeschooling parents are frequently

supported by their local churches, and many other potential Subway

customers -- who are not themselves homeschoolers -- still admire the

self-reliant spirit reflected by these parents. These Americans might

willingly join in a boycott against firms that show disrespect for

homeschoolers.

 

Subway, by this careless -- or intentional -- ban on homeschooled

children, could have easily offended 10 million American adults.

Oops.

 

But why is this snub at homeschoolers even an issue? Homeschoolers

face constant harassment from "offic ials" at the state and local

school board level, as well as from teachers unions, and they are

therefore more than a bit sensitive to perceived commercial

discrimination. By banning homeschooled children from their essay

contest, Subway has -- accidentally or intentionally -- placed

themselves firmly in the "enemy's camp."

 

School boards generally oppose homeschooling, and the National

Educational Association and other teachers unions relentlessly lobby

against homeschooling, for two reasons.

 

First, homeschooling parents -- by teaching three million kids

nationwide -- replace the equivalent of 100,000 union teachers.

 

Second, Federal and State public school financing is based on

per-enrolled student -- and both the teachers unions and the school

boards see homeschooling parents as literally taking federal funds out

of their coffers or paychecks.

 

True, these schools don't have to provide services for homeschooled

children , but with a strong entitlement mentality, the school boards

and teachers unions adopt the position that they are "owed" this

money. They fight in every way they can to hang onto every last

dollar, and if this means opposing homeschooling or school vouchers,

so be it.

 

But how did Subway get into this mess? Subway's "Every Sandwich Tells

a Story" essay contest, conducted in cooperation with the quickly

repentant Scholastic News Service -- which sells strongly into the

homeschool market and which immediately and publicly apologized when

this issue came to their attention -- specifically bans homeschooled

kids from the contest. The remarkably poorly-spelled rules read:

 

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. Contest is open only to legal

residents of the Untied (sic) States who are currently over the age of

18 and have children who attend elementary, private or parochial

schools that serve grades PreK-6. No home schools will be accepted.

 

You'd think Subway would learn. In late 2004, 50 of their German

franchisees created a table-top in-store ad that showed an obese

Statue of Liberty. This promotion was tied into the German release of

the film "Super Size Me," and it boldly mocked Americans' proclivity

for eating fattening fast foods. Subway's decision-makers apparently

thought that nobody outside their German franchised Subway stores

would notice this anti-American in-store ad -- but within days,

Congressman Tom DeLay was denouncing Subway from the well of the

House, waving the table-top ad before the cameras for all to see.

Outraged Americans -- who objected to an American company publicly

mocking America in Europe, just to make a quick Euro -- quickly

abandoned Subway in droves.

 

With this PR blunder, Subway quite possibly helped kindle the

skyrocketing growth of Quiznos, a competing sub-sandwich shop that

caught on almost immediately after Su bway's "gaffe."

 

Faced with 24/7 media coverage and a virtual Internet firestorm of

protest that was melting their market share, Subway's response was

glacial. The story simmered for close to two weeks before Subway's

spokespersons began to try to turn down the heat -- but by then, the

damage had been done.

 

History may be repeating itself. Subway's partner, Scholastic,

quickly backed away from the contest, publishing this apology on a

number of homeschool websites and discussion boards:

 

"Our intention was never to make independent schooled children feel

discriminated against or excluded from this specific promotion ... and

will make sure eligibility is open to everyone in future promotions."

 

Except to say, "Unfortunately, I do not have enough information at

this point to respond," when asked to comment on this homeschooling

brouhaha, Subway's spokesman, Kevin Kane did respond to this gathering

crisis. If history does repea t itself, Subway will stonewall for

another couple of weeks before trying to ease the pain of this

self-inflicted wound. And, as with their 2004 "Fat American" in-store

promotion, which backfired so painfully, their response may yet again

be too little, too late.

__________________________________________________________

Ned Barnett is a political strategist and the owner of Barnett

Marketing Communications in Las Vegas, Nevada. A PR crisis management

expert, Barnett has been a university professor and has written nine

published books on public relations and marketing communications, and

writes a regular column on crisis PR for the International Association

of Business Communicators.

[Penny from Tenny]

As a family of seven who has enjoyed frequenting your restaurant, I am writing to express my dismay over your kid's sandwich story contest not allowing homeschool students to participate. As a mother of five who has been homeschooling for 17 years I am very disappointed in your company's position. I understand that the grand prize goes to the child's school but I believe some other alternative could have been given to accomodate homeschool students rather than exclude them entirely. Perhaps you are unaware that several MILLION children throughout the United States are schooled at home. I believe you owe homeschoolers an apology for excluding us.

Sincerely,

my name

 

I only wish I had been more eloquent - it was a little off the cuff when I first learned of this.

[nutmeg]

Okay, I'm only half-joking here: I'm begging you all, if you feel you must sign this petition, please spell words correctly and check what you have written before you hit submit. Sure, we all know public school teachers who write badly, but when you are arguing that homeschoolers are good enough for a writing contest... :001_huh:

 

No kidding. Some of the comments are just rediculus. And the petition itself is so awkwardly worded, I'd be embarrassed to put my name on it.

 

Frankly, I'm flummoxed that folks (who made comments on the petition) cannot seem to comprehend why Subway/Scholastic made the decision to exclude homeschoolers. It seems obvious to me that their intent was to gift a school with a large amount of sports equipment. With that goal in mind, limiting the contest to institutionally-schooled children seems the logical and simplest choice. I do not think we can expect them to sit down study the 50 different state laws regarding homeschooling.

 

I'll be sending my own letter in to make sure that Subway and Scholastic know that as a homeschooler I appreciate their efforts to ameliorate the conditions of public school children, and to let them know that as a homeschooler, I enjoy their products and will continue to do so for years to come. :D

Sounds good to me! But I think I'll deliver my letter in person so I can pick up a 6" turkey on whole wheat, hold the olives. :)

[PineFarmMom]

 

Frankly, I'm flummoxed that folks (who made comments on the petition) cannot seem to comprehend why Subway/Scholastic made the decision to exclude homeschoolers. It seems obvious to me that their intent was to gift a school with a large amount of sports equipment. With that goal in mind, limiting the contest to institutionally-schooled children seems the logical and simplest choice. I do not think we can expect them to sit down study the 50 different state laws regarding homeschooling.

 

Sounds good to me! But I think I'll deliver my letter in person so I can pick up a 6" turkey on whole wheat, hold the olives. :)

 

I am with you. Quite frankly, I get extremely annoyed when any minority group grabs something like this and creates a bunch of hubbub over it when it's nothing to get upset about. I think people are overreacting to this. I just want to be sure of the things I'm crying foul about, carefully pick the hills I want to die on. This is not one of them. I mean, come on...I honestly believe that a public school has more use to $5,000 worth of sports equipment than I do.:confused: I don't know...the whole thing annoys me! I love this homeschool life, but I mean, really!!!:rolleyes:

 

T