Marianne, the first thing I would do is try to get a copy of the exam.
Since you mention the product name appears 5 times, perhaps you have a
copy. Was it local, regional, international? Barring a copy, I would
try to piece together the facts from several students, coupled with
their impressions. It would be good to have letters coming from
several parents separately.
Once in a junior high math class, my daughter encountered an
outrageously sexist math problem. The teacher even commented to the
class that "the girls aren't going to like this." I made appointments
with two teachers and the principle regarding the incident. I think it
makes a huge difference to get involved, so I am glad you are.
Was this a Dutch exam or did it come from elsewhere? I have to say I am quite surprised.
As for letter content, I would cite the WHO Code and relevant
government health objectives in pointing out the inappropriate product
placement in an exam. The recipient of your complaint is likely to
consider the preterm infant in particular "need" of the specialized
product. Rather than argue the vulnerable infant may not "need" the
product, I would stress that the insidious promotion of the concept
("formula is especially scientific for premies") takes the marketing
effect to another level. Marketing to young people on the brink of
their reproductive years may not have been the intent of the examiners,
but in a real way it is what happened.
Asking chemistry students to consider the scientific value of branded
"formula" is similar to telling basketball fans that Michael Jordan
nursed for 3 years. The idea is marketed in a a package sure to pique
the curiosity of the consumer.
Susan Johnson MFA, IBCLC, RLC
Salt Lake City, Utah USA
************************
Hi all,
You are just NOT gonna believe this...
My dd came home yesterday after sitting her 3 hour chemistry exam and =
she told me that one out of four questions (all being divided into sub- =
and subsubquestions) was about... artificial baby milk for premature =
infants!! How low can you go, as a country/government/exam committee to =
have your 18-year olds work on an exam in which there is a 5 time =
mention of a registered trade mark artificial milk for the most =
vulnerable infants, because you want to interrogate them on fats?! The =
manufacturer's name was also mentioned several times and I'm just =
completely pissed off by this. These young people... any other product =
containing fat could have been used as an example. Why this one, with =
such clear 'naming and faming'...? A blatant code-violation and =
ethically completely reprehensible.
I'v started a draft for a text to file a complaint and maybe get a press =
release. Several Dutch lc-colleagues and bf counsellors have children =
who did the same exam and apparently one even thought of boycotting the =
question...! ;o)) Dreadful: commercial industry infiltrating into high =
school exams. Was there money involved? Did they pay to get the question =
in? If yes, awful. If not: just as awful, because it is then free =
publicity.
Any suggestions for objections to include in the statement are welcome. =
My... where are we heading...? :-((
Warmly,
Marianne Vanderveen IBCLC, Netherlands
************************
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