What is it with Derby and Ronald McDonald?
Earlier this year, Ronald McDonald was invited to a Derby public school to discuss safety.
Last week, Ronald McDonald showed up at the Derby Public Library for a "Book Time with Ronald McDonald" event.
What’s wrong with that, some might say. Using a national icon to get kids to read and practice safe behavior is surely a good thing.
Actually, it’s not.
Childhood obesity is a national problem and McDonalds is a big reason why.
By inviting Ronald McDonald to a public school and a library, Derby is endorsing poor eating habits at a crucial time for young children. It’s hard work getting a kid to eat right and the last thing a parent needs is a school system or library undermining their efforts.
Perhaps the parents of one of the kids at the library or school is committed to healthy eating a packs a nutritious lunch each day. Their kid comes home and says Ronald McDonald taught me about reading. What message is the kid getting? Ronald is looking out for me. So the next time, mom and dad drive by the golden arches, they lose a little leverage.
And don’t think McDonalds doesn’t know that. It’s said 96 percent of kids can identify Ronald McDonald. McDonalds executives probably stay up at night devising ways to reach that other 4 percent. Without sounding too much like a raving conspiracy theorist, one good way is to send Ronald into schools and libraries under the guise of book and safety awareness.
There are so many other ways schools and libraries can engage kids. Invite a local cop to discuss safety. Call up a book publisher and have Clifford the Big Red Dog hand out books. I’m going to surmise that the Derby school and library didn’t have to seek out Ronald McDonald. They most likely got a call from a local franchise owner.
Justify it anyway you want, but Ronald McDonald stands for junk food. That’s not a theory, that’s a fact.