In a dream come true for the urban teenaged channel surfer, large flat-screen televisions could soon be scattered amidst the rows of lockers and dusty trophy cabinets of Toronto high schools.
The Toronto District School Board will decide Wednesday night at a full board meeting whether or not to expand a pilot project that saw digital televisions broadcast school news and student-generated content in four downtown high schools.
The pilot project, under way since January of last year, has received positive reviews from students, parents and teachers, but a provision for up to two hours of advertising a day has raised objections from trustees and community members.
"We don't send our kids to school to see advertising," said trustee Chris Glover. "Putting TV commercials in school hallways where kids can't avoid them, denigrates education. What message are we giving to our students about the value of education if we cheapen our schools with TV commercials in exchange for a few video screens?"
The pilot program has broadcast advertisements from non-commercial sponsors, including the Milk Marketing Board, post-secondary institutions and government, at Central Technical School, Harbord CI, Heydon Park SS and Central Commerce CI. Advertisements are capped at 30 per cent of content, or two hours of a school day, and the screens are mostly used to display exam information, time remaining until next class, sporting-event and school-council updates, and other student-generated content.
The screens look a lot like those mounted on TTC platforms, and are managed by the same company, Onestop. The biggest difference in the schools is that sponsored content is tightly controlled and monitored.
They would provide a major upgrade to many schools, many of which are still making do with a crackling PA system.
"I think this is an excellent communication tool for schools," said trustee Gerri Gershon.
Similar screens are already present in train stations, airports, cafés, "everywhere people gather. This is our life and I think that we should teach kids how to deal with it."
If the project were to expand, it would be optional and offered to 70 high schools this winter. Onestop would cover the cost of the televisions and software, and a 5 to 15 per cent cut of advertising revenue would be returned to the board.
It's not just the adults who oppose the initiative. The TDSB's SuperCouncil, a board-wide student council, also opposes expanding the project.
"No one's going to advertise unless they're selling something, which makes it commercial," said Zane Schwartz, a student trustee and member of the council. "Two hours of a six-hour total school day, that's a lot of content to fill and it's a slippery slope."