ABSTRACT

Recently, Vanity Fair dubbed Walt Disney’s Michael Eisner one of the world’s most influential individuals, claiming that ‘of the three seeming universal institutionschurch, state, and Disney-Eisner heads the only one that could possibly launch a children’s crusade today’ (September 5, 1995), a painful assessment indicative that institutions other than home, church, or state have captured children’s attentions. For example, Hollywood and Wall Street have carved out an influential role in children’s lives due more to selfish interest than social concern. While the crusade-producing power of the church, the state (specifically public schools), and the family may be lacking, these institutions still provide the basic building blocks for children’s moral, academic and social identities and they do it with children’s well-being at heart.