Wired: 11+ Data Center Firms and Industry Groups Running School Field Trips, First-Grader Flag Kits Amid Backlash

Wired's Caroline Haskins reports that at least 11 companies and industry groups have hosted student trips to US data centers since 2025 as public backlash grows over energy, water and tax impacts. Trade group AFCOM sponsored Memorial Day-themed flag-making kits for 3,100 first graders at 37 Loudoun County, Virginia schools, nonprofit 7×24 Exchange recommends a children's book narrated by a honey-badger data center worker, and operators like Sabey run high-school visits. Education researcher Alex Molnar calls it a classic image-rehab playbook.