It's O-fficial. As we discussed here in the Forum weeks ago, the Y2K communications campaign from Mr. Koskinen and Co. will focus on kids and schools (via Newspapers in Education) in September: President's Y2K Initiative To Work With Newspapers In Education

The President's Council on Year 2000 Conversion has teamed up with several newspaper associations to create the Y2K Youth Education Program.

The Newspaper Association of America and the National Newspaper Association have agreed to work with the President's Council to distribute the Y2K initiative through Newspapers in Education (NIE).

In mid-September, newspapers will receive a Y2K teacher resource guide on CD-ROM, a student supplement, and other resource materials. Featured on the CD are articles, background information, Y2K checklists, and interactive activities. Newspapers will be able to reproduce the features and distribute them with the newspaper to schools.

Anyone have the link to that site that documented the communications/awareness campaign?

-- Mac (sneak@lurk.hid), August 13, 1999

Answers

If this awareness campaign turns out to be more "spin" it will likely do more harm than good- kinda lika Y2k "Duck and Cover" drill.

The White House needs to concentrate on adressing itself to the -adult- population and BEING CREDIBLE. Let the parents decide what to tell the kids.

-- Forrest Covington (theforrest@mindspring.com), August 13, 1999.

Forrest,

Agreed. Many parental units take their cue for what is true and reasonable from the likes of Dear Abby (Y2k is a joke) and Anne Landers(Senator Bennet asked me to tell my readers to have a couple extra cans of food, flashlights and some blankets). If this is the quality of information being disseminated to the adult population, then these student CD-ROM's had best not advocate the "extremism" advised by FEMA, Red Cross, et al.

I can just imagine those dinner table conversations. Who do most adults think is more credible---Anne Landers or FEMA? When surveyed, many adults are unable to identify the U.S. Vice President. I wonder how many have a clue what FEMA is, compared to how many "know" Anne Landers.

-- RUOK (RUOK@yesiam.com), August 13, 1999.