On the evening of the Fall Festival at my grandson’s preschool, I had volunteered to work to help make the evening a success.  I arrived early as requested and began moving all the little toys and games to the side, disassembling some and preparing space for the games to follow. After getting the room ready, a school official told me that the table on the side of the room was for Chick-Fil-A(TM), who would be arriving soon. When I first heard that a corporate meat-monger would be sharing the space with me, I tried to think how I could make this a positive experience. But as the crew began arriving, complete with sodas and dismembered animal parts, I knew it would never fly. I was angry. Angry that a private preschool would be allowing these corporate shills into the festivities (they were just young kids in actuality).  I was angry that schools let these kinds of folks promote their poisonous product to such very young children and their families, when childhood diabetes and obesity have become epidemic.  I asked if I could swith locations with someone else, letting them know I was vegan and did not want to be in the space with people promoting meat. I was aware that these corporations were infiltrating the public schools, which I consider unethical and ghastly, but to try to hook the kids when they are so tiny, and in a private school at that – disgusting!

I was moved to the next room, which was actually part of the same room with a counter in between. I could see the Chick-Fil-A(TM) cow was quite uncomfortable, couldn’t talk, and was having difficulty seeing. The cow began walking the hallways to promote their product- dead chickens.  In my room, meanwhile, the tiny tots were playing with plastic duckies in water and having a great time.  Most of the kids wanted the duckies, but the game was to change them in for candy, The school is a fabulous preschool; they teach the very young children manners, lovely songs, and educate them in so many positive ways. My grandson, who just turned 4, can write his own name, knows all the colors in Spanish and English, says the pledge of allegiance, knows all the days of the weeks and the months of the year.

The energy in the school is bright and cheerful; they offer outdoor programs and have a wonderful park-like play area.  I took my grandson to several schools; this is the only one where he wanted me to leave him. His teacher is wonderful; intelligent, kind, capable, with a presence that maintains an orderly classroom yet keeps the kids all loving her and feeling safe. But the silly costumed cow was so disrespectful to the reality of animal lives, the idea of one species promoting killing of another species as a joke…..to babies — it was too much for this vegan.  I know the other people at the school now think I am completely whacked, but that is okay.  At least they had to think about what they are doing.  The cows encouraging people to eat chicken…..those ads really gross me out. It is incredible to me that anyone could find them cute and clever, but evidently it has been a tremendously effective ad campaign.  Shows how far we have slid down, down, down into detachment from reality.  A letter to the school, therefore, was sent:

Dear Children’s Preschool:*

I want to thank you for the wonderful staff and environment you create for my grandson and all the other children.  The value is inestimable in helping these kids get a positive step forward in learning independence and preparing for their academic futures.  Miss M, my grandson’s teacher, is a wonderful and intelligent woman who actively supports the children’s growth yet remains a warm and comforting presence.  I love the staff and the facilities and am very grateful that such an excellent school is nearby so my grandson can have a positive experience.  I appreciate the camera program, which allows his family to see how he is going during the day, too.  That kind of open information helps us all rest assured that the best possible care is being given to our child.

At the recent Fall Festival, I volunteered to work at one of the games and was put in a room that was to be shared with Chick-Fil-A(TM).  I was horrified to think that such an unhealthy product would be marketed to such young children.  Your other corporate connection, McDonalds, is also known for harming the health and well-being of children, although your purpose was to support Ronald McDonald House, which in turn reportedly aids children and their families; you were not promoting their foods directly.  Chick-Fil-A(TM)’s purpose was clear – to advertise their product at an early age in the schools to get as many kids and their families patronizing their restaurants as possible. With juvenile diabetes and obesity on the rise, promoting the fast-food industry would seem antithetical to a school dedicated to helping young children.

While it was a time for dressing up in costumes, the absurdity of an adult-sized cow promoting killing and dismembering chickens was too offensive not to mention.  The reality for both the animals and the humans that consume them is far from amusing.  The hours of suffering confinement, the cruelty of slaughter, the chemicals they are given to the animals to prevent disease, the hormones fed to the animals, the grinding up of dead animals and feeding them to other animals (mad cow disease), the ingestion of feces and disease, the recent undercover videos of newborn male chicks being ground up alive, the cost to the planet — none of these are amusing.  But to liken it to a joke, to promote one of the worst corporate offenders in disrespecting animal life, to allow them access to our young children – it is over the top in my estimation. I would like to protest.

And I have a question — what does Children’s Preschool gain from giving this corporation access to the children?  Because the cost to American children who are raised on fast-food is horrific.

I hope you will reconsider corporate ties to the fast food industry.  You are a much better facility and deserve much healthier connections; and more importantly, our young children deserve much better, too.

Sincerely,

Barbara DeGrande, MFT

Grandparent

Child and Animal Advocate

It is disappointing that the school never responded to my letter.  But at least they had to read it, and hopefully think about it, even if momentarily.  The director has been decidedly cooler towards me.  But still, it is important to voice wherever and whenever we can, to bring to mind the thoughtless acts of cruelty and abuse in which we participate so willingly, so mindlessly. If I prove to be an irritant to anyone participating in these acts, so be it.  I do not want cows in my grandson’s classroom.

*fictitious name