Every Contest Tells a Story

Subway, America’s leading fast-food sandwich franchise, is sponsoring a contest for kids. It’s an essay contest entitled “Every Sandwich Tells a Story.”

This contest itself is something of a story.

First, the contest explanation and rules contain multiple typos.

Second, homeschooling families are prohibited from entering.

What’s going on here? Subway’s official explanation is that the first prize award of athletic equipment can only go to a school. This is a bit lame, since the equipment could easily go to a local park frequented by the winning homeschooling family . . . or any number of homeschooling associations.

What could the folks at Subway really be thinking? I wouldn’t be surprised if the team in control of the contest have spouses in one of the teachers’ unions . . . teachers’ unions are notoriously opposed to home schooling. Go figure.

There’s been a lot of speculation. Some folk say that Subway just couldn’t bear to see another homeschooler win. My thought is that any contest with that many typos in the promotional material is badly in need of an education.

Many homeschooling families — and their sympathetic friends — have started a boycott. And I have to say, much as I like Subway, I’ll be steering the family car to Quiznos or a local deli the next time my family agrees to go out for sandwiches.

Subway has, perhaps inadvertently, taken on a hot-button political topic, and come out on the wrong side.

This is Common Sense. I’m Paul Jacob.