Sunday, May 25, 2008

Boycott Subway

Sprittibee just posted about this on her website. Here's what I have to say about it.

Until today, we frequently ate at Subway. Twice a week, we are at the YMCA, which has a Subway in it. Often we have lunch there or even just a snack. Sometimes, we'll eat there as a family when we are out and about on one of our many field trips. Not anymore.

Subway is hosting a story-writing contest . Here's how you enter. Parents have their kids write a story that has a beginning, middle, and an end using one of their rather cheesy story starters or the parent and child can write the story together. If possible, they would like your story to include details describing random acts of fitness. The grand prize is athletic equipment for your child's school ($5000 value), scholastic gift basket for your home, a $100 Subway card, and your story published on their website and in Parent & Child magazine. Six runners up will receive a scholastic gift basket and $50 Subway card. Every entry submitted with a Subway receive will receive a free Scholastic book. Sounds good. There's a problem, though. Here is an excerpt from their contest details page (emphasis mine):

2. ELIGIBILITY. Contest is open only to legal residents of the United States who are currently over the age of 18 and have children who attend elementary, private or parochial schools that serve grades PreK-6. No home schools will be accepted.

Well, that's interesting. How very discriminatory of them!

Perhaps the problem is that the grand prize includes $5000 of athletic equiptment, clearly enough for a large group. However, they could have just as easily offered homeschoolers enough equipment for the family and donated the rest to the family's organization of choice. Family's could have chosen a homeschool organization or co-op, a church, a Boys and Girls Club, or even the local school. I'm sure homeschoolers would be more than willing to bless their public school friends with some of their winnings. There's no valid reason to exclude them.

I sent off a note to them using their customer service letting them know how I feel and that they'll be losing our business unless they change the contest rules or offer a comparable contest for homeschoolers only and publish a public apology for the discrimination. If this discriminatory practice bothers you, tell them about it and then spread the word.

Update: Sign the pettition! With over 360 832 signatures already, Subway will get the message. Thanks Tammy for letting me know about it.


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2 Comments:

AudreyO said...

Hi,

I'm Audrey. I found your blog through the mommyfest site. Even though the blog party is long over, I'm still loving reading blogs and meeting others.

As I began reading your post..woa, my daughter and I used to work out at the gym, not any gym, the YMCA and eat Subway at least a few times per week. We know exactly how many calories are in each sandwich. We now belong to a different gym but have still make it to Subway a few times per week. It does stink that those who homeschool are not eligable :( Ok...time for another sandwich chain :)

Tammy said...

http://www.petitiononline.com/home777/petition.html

An online petition to boycott Subway.