In the most recent development in the longstanding debate over the role of corporations in the production of school curriculum, the Center for Copyright Information is creating a school curriculum to teach elementary age students the evils of piracy and the importance of protecting copyrights. Backed by the Motion Picture Assn. of America, the curriculum named "Be the Creator," is still under revision, but is aimed at students in kindergarten through 6th grade. The project has faced heavy criticism, as many see it as another tool to push Hollywood's biased agenda. Others have raised the concern that this curriculum will take away from valuable class time, in an age where public schools are struggling to effectively teach the basics. Then again, copyrights and patents are an important part of our economic system, and organizations like the MPAA are entitled to promote their interests. The question remains, should the classroom be off-limits to this type of discourse, or is the MPAA in the clear?
Side 1: An education, among other things, should prepare an individual to be a citizen capable of contributing to the democratic process. By and large, this means teaching them how to think, not what to think. "Be Creative" is not about teaching creativity, it's about the MPAA trying to stop the next wave of would be copyright violators. If you want to teach kids the importance of creativity, you don't start with copyrights and fair use doctrine. How about funding creative writing programs, on-campus theatre productions, or even filmmaking courses?
Side 2: The debate over the role of corporations in the production of curricular materials is even more important today, where individual teachers can pick and choose the material they incorporate in the classroom from online resources. Given this, it is incredibly easy to incorporate material from advocacy groups, despite the assumption that school materials are insulated from these pressures. While corporations are entitled, and even encouraged, to contribute to the "basics" such as math, science, and technology, but "Be the Creator" crosses the line. Schools are going to need to introduce new ways to monitor the curricular materials that make their way into the classroom.
What other issues are involved? Introduce the debate, clearly state the ethical issues, and determine the best recommended solution. Are there any similar issues facing other businesses or groups?