Here we are in Utah again. This time lawmakers want to help cut the state deficit by putting advertising on the sides of school buses, starting with the Jordan School District.

Rep. Jim Bird, R-West Jordan, is sponsoring a bill that would allow school boards to sell advertising space on the exteriors of school buses. He said the Jordan School District’s financial troubles inspired him to run the bill. The Jordan board decided last week to cut hundreds of jobs and increase class sizes to deal with an estimated $30 million budget shortfall next school year.

There are a few stipulations: No alcohol, tobacco, drugs, gambling or sexual material are to be advertised and it must be age appropriate.

Naturally, there are concerns about the kids’ over-exposure to commercialism and the ads causing too much distraction all around.

“Somebody’s reading an advertisement and not realizing that the bus is stopping,” said Bob Riley, executive director of the National Association of State Directors of Pupil Transportation Services. “We want them seeing one thing when they see a school bus, and that’s basically a yellow flag of caution.”

Childhood advocates Campaign For A Commercial-Free Childhood have spoken out on the subject as well, throughout other states.

What really irks me-amazingly-is not the fact that they are considering putting the ads on, but that they think the kids won’t actually pay attention to the ads.

One parent is actually quoted as saying:

“I don’t think they’d pay attention,” said Geurts, who has three teenagers and an 11-year-old in the Davis District.

Hate to say it, but Guerts’ statement seems a bit naive. Of course they’d pay attention. Kids pick up on everything.

However,

Parent Trissy Bawden, also of Bountiful, called putting ads on buses, “a seemingly simple way to get some money for education which is much needed.”

Her husband, Sam Bawden, said he’s not as concerned about his four young children being exposed to ads as he is about them suffering the impacts of school budget cuts.

“The education budget is a bigger issue in my mind than commercialization,” he said.

Read the entire article here.