After reading the story entitled “Reading, writing, and retailing: Field trips flock to stores (Page 1, Feb. 22),” I was disappointed to read that children’s field trips are now to local sports or food stores. Bringing children to stores for the purpose of learning only gives publicity to the store. The only lesson learned from a field trip to Sports Authority is for children to come back and buy their products. In an already materialistic society, children are now being exposed to it at an even earlier age.
These trips to local stores have a negative impact on the children. The kids are only retaining the images of the logos that they see. After completing their safety demonstration, each child from Chinatown received a new lunch bag displaying the Sports Authority logo. Children are becoming billboards on these field trips, and something must be done to stop this.
To limit growth of materialism in our society, we must refrain from imprinting corporate logos onto young minds. Field trips should be taken, however, they should be to a local library or forest preserve where something vital can be learned. Local stores are taking advantage of the field trips by trying to enhance the sales of their products. They are treating the children as customers, and it is getting in the way of true learning. To ensure a better future, we need to make sure children learn in a positive environment.
