Apple banned from hosting school trips in France

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Apple has been banned by France’s education ministry from hosting school trips to its stores across the country after parents and education officials accused the tech giant of turning a teaching activity into commercial exploitation.

The new order was issued by French education minister Paul Vannier, who decided that outings at Apple stores were in breach of the “principle of neutrality.” The ethical code requires public servants, including teachers, to avoid promoting commercial products while carrying out their duties, the news magazine Marianne reported.

A summer camp advertisement on Apple China's official website. /Photo via Apple.com

Last month, French state TV France 2 followed a few school trips to Apple’s retail stores and exposed video clips secretly shot during the process. The investigative reporting showed Apple staff receiving students like normal customers, giving them souvenirs including T-shirts and USB sticks imprinted with Apple logo.

Students attending Apple's field trip session at an Apple store in France. /Screenshot from France 2

“It’s great publicity for us,” a sales staff said during one of the teaching sessions. “If it can lead to sales of iPad in classrooms, then why not?”

Students trying out coding using Apple products /Screenshot from France 2

The program triggered controversy among parents and education experts in France, many believing the trips were merely a commercial showcase rather than an educational activity.

The Silicon Valley tech giant provides free educational programs including field trips and summer camps in its retail stores across the world. The sessions are branded as “inspiring collaboration and creativity with Apple products,” providing young people aged eight to 12 with learning opportunities on coding, filmmaking and music producing with Apple software.

An Apple field trip advertisement /Photo via Apple.com

Other tech companies including Microsoft and Google have also provided educational activities in France in the past few years, with Microsoft even building a cooperation relationship with the education ministry to promote digital education back in 2015, Xinhua reports. The new ban, however, applies to all similar activities.

Netizens responded to the new ban with dividing opinions on Franceinfo, the French state media's official website.

“It's a malpractice. Teachers have to be neutral and they do not have the right to advertise for a company like Apple or Google,” @Citoyen commented. “You can visit a company for the sole purpose of observing manufacturing processes, but not in a store. I am also a teacher and I am shocked my colleagues may simply forget our ethics.”

@Eric commented, "Frankly, I think that the Apple’s initiative is good. It’s a pity that the education ministry sees it as commercial propaganda!"