The best policy: Having a policy

The same debate is surfacing (pun) in Portland Public Schools (PPS) as we had in Portland Parks & Recreation earlier this year: How much corporate advertising should be allowed in recognition for corporate sponsorships/donations? The Portland Public Schools Board has accepted a Portland Trail Blazers proposal to resurface ten high school basketball courts, including putting the Blazers’ logo on all of them. In depth coverage of the PPS School Board hearing and insightful analysis by Steve Rawley on More Hockey Less War. And I agree with Rick Seifert’s comments and proposal on The Red Electric.

I wonder, first, if the Trail Blazers have made the same offer to the Parkrose, David Douglas, Centennial, and Reynolds School Boards, and indeed to those in Beaverton, Gresham-Barlow and other districts that are part of the Metro region. But also, I hope all the School Boards that don’t already have a policy for sponsorships and donations will work, soon, on establishing one — outside of the context of a specific project. It’s much easier and more productive to consider ethics and philosophical direction in general, without calling into question the motivation or values of a particular business at the table offering goods, services, or money.

Then, the challenge is often getting elected leaders to stick to the policy, as we’re seeing in the ongoing controversy over renaming Interstate Avenue without using the City of Portland’s adopted code standards. But that’s a different problem.