School bus advertisements – Are you okay with it? – Poll

An increasing number of New Jersey schools are selling advertisement space on their buses to help raise money, sparking controversy as to whether this is a good idea.

Governor Christie signed a bill in January 2011 making our state one of the six states to allow ads on school buses. Today about 20 districts have ads on their buses, and several more are considering the idea, according to the New Jersey School Boards Association (NJSBA).

These ads carry the potential to help schools generate millions of dollars, and they have a unique advantage over traditional billboards in that they move, allowing more people to be exposed to their content.

The main argument against this placement is that children are already exposed to a large amount of advertising, which some say makes them easy targets for politicians and companies to mold into brand loyal voters and consumers. Another idea is that "commercial free" school property helps keep kids safe from inappropriate or questionable content.

Those in favor of allowing the ads point out that content featuring political endorsements, alcohol and tobacco products is prohibited, and that kids ride inside the buses, preventing them from constantly viewing the ads anyway. Supporters also say this is a valuable opportunity to raise money that can improve the school system itself.

What do you say- is allowing school bus ads a good idea? Let us know in the poll below.