Ads could be returning to Seattle Public Schools

The Seattle School
board is considering allowing advertising at local sports
facilities to help close an ever growing budget gap.

Advertising in Seattle Schools was banned in 2004. The
money that it brought in was used to fund student body
activities like sports, drama, and other extracurriculars.

Students and their families have been asked to pay more
for
those programs ever since. The school board thinks it’s
time
to change the policy and allow some limited advertising to
help offset those costs.

The board is proposing Wednesday,
it wants
to allow ads at stadiums, sports fields, on scoreboards,
and
on the annual school calendar. The type of ads would be
tightly regulated.

A district spokeswoman says the advertising alone could
bring in an estimated $20,000 a year.

The board will pass the final budget next month.