It would have made (some kind of) sense

had this image been from the 1950s:

But to read today that McDonald’s is colonising children’s report cards (good grades = free happy meal) is nothing short of astounding. The contradictions are too flagrant: how, for one thing, in a world that is rapidly banning “junk food” from schools, is it allowed? Top left hand corner indicates public school, meaning it’s not just an isolated case of a private school making a sweet deal with Mickey D.

Officially, it signals McD’s commitment to academic brilliance (or whatever). This quote from spokesperson X encapsulates the whole ridiculousness nicely: “McDonald’s has a longstanding and rich heritage of supporting education and academic excellence. McDonald’s does not advertise in schools. However, we continue to support education initiatives in the communities we serve.” (Note the buzzwords: community, initiative, serve)

Unofficially it gives the lie to all the health hype and confirms that community government initiatives schemes are just business as usual.