Why is Subway banning HSers from writing comp?

I wrote them to let them know I'm boycotting them for this. I haven't rec'd a response, but here's the one a local HS'ing friend received:

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Regarding your concerns about the Subway contest that excludes home schools from contest eligibility, Scholastic and Subway apologize to all individuals who have taken offense at this. Our intention was never to make independent schooled children feel discriminated against or excluded from this specific promotion.

Throughout the course of the year Scholastic runs a number of contests and sweepstakes that are open to all teachers and students. The eligibility of this contest in particular was solely put in place to award a large group of children with the grand prize of $5,000 worth of athletic equipment. We do however understand how home- schooled children could benefit from this type of prizing and will make sure eligibility is open to everyone in future promotions.

We appreciate your feedback and will make sure a similar situation does not happen in the future.

If anyone has any additional comments to make regarding this contest, please email Scholastic directly at P&Cconnects@scholastic. com and we will respond promptly to your concerns. Other email addresses or phone numbers shown in this blog will not reach individuals who are equipped to help you. Again, please direct all comments/inquiries to P&Cconnects@scholastic. com and we would be more than happy to speak with you regarding this.

Thank you!

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I emailed Subway also. I let them know about the homeschool co-op in my area that has a basketball team, soccer team and girls volleyball team. What a help something like this would be for them.

Edit: I just received a response from them:

Dear Deb,

Thank you for writing to Scholastic regarding the Subway essay contest. We are deeply sorry that the Subway contest has offended you and we appreciate that you shared your concern with us.

Throughout the course of each year, Scholastic runs a number of contests and sweepstakes that are open to all teachers and students. The eligibility of this particular contest, was established to award a large group of children with the grand prize of $5,000 worth of school playground athletic equipment. We do, however, understand how home-schooled children could benefit from this type of prizing or share it with their community and we will make sure eligibility is open to everyone in all future promotions. Please accept our apology for this error.

Because we are unable to change the contest rules once the contest has launched, and to show our gratitude to you for bringing this matter to our attention, we hope you will send us the ages of your children and your address so we send each of them a complimentary book. We truly appreciate your feedback and will make sure a similar situation does not happen again.

If you have any further questions, please feel free to contact me directly.

Sincerely,

Samantha

Scholastic Parent & Child

I honestly think that they just made a colossal blunder. They knew that the grand prize of $5000 in athletic equipment would be best suited for a group, such as a school, so they excluded homeschoolers, thinking that it would be too much to award to a single family. I don't think they did it maliciously, but I *DO* think homeschoolers should write to them and express their disappointment. I also think we should offer suggestions that address the problem of awarding such a prize to a single family. For example, they could stipulate that the equipment would be awarded to a Public School, Private School, Community Center, Official Club, or Religious Facility of the winner's choosing.

I wrote to them as I outlined above, but I haven't heard back. Until I do, I won't be eating at Subway.

Subway, like most companies and people, just underestimated the extent of the home-schooling community. I am sure that were unaware of the many home-school enrichment co-ops that could have used the prizes. They probably didn't want a "single family" to have a prize designed for a "large group of students"

Subway made a mistake (as we all do) but until the homeschooling movement becomes more mainstream and is FINALLY recognized as the best educational option for most children, companies will continue to not include home-schoolers.

I wrote them to but no repsonse yet. They could have had an alternate prize for homeschoolers or homeschool groups. I heard it was co-spnsored by Scholastic so that may have been an error on both their parts.

Ok! This makes me Mad! I mean I can use footballs and soccer balls and Baseball mits and That sort of thing! I mean REALLY!

I've also e-mailed them expressing my disappointment with their decision.

I bet they were just afraid the homeschoolers would win it! :)