New Brunswick's education minister has banned fast-food mascot Ronald McDonald from all public school classrooms in New Brunswick.

The corporate mascot for the fast food giant McDonald's will no longer be allowed to visit public schools to talk to students about healthy living, Kelly Lamrock said Monday.

"I don't care much for corporations trying to get around our policy by spreading a few pieces of silver around and saying, 'Well, now you have to let us get our brand in front of impressionable elementary school kids,'" Lamrock said.

"I don't like it, and I'm hoping it will prevent other corporations from going down this road."

'I don't care much for corporations trying to get around our policy by spreading a few pieces of silver around and saying, "Well, now you have to let us get our brand in front of impressionable elementary school kids."'— Education Minister Kelly Lamrock

Some schools had allowed the red-haired clown into classrooms in exchange for credit toward gym equipment and help with other physical education resources.

School District 18 policy says company representatives or individuals who wish to speak to students in its Fredericton-area schools must first get permission from district staff.

McDonald's did not obtain permission in this way, instead approaching individual principals for permission.

Company spokesman Ronald Christensen said the mascot will stay away from New Brunswick students in future.

"Obviously we're disappointed with the direction that [the minister] has given," he said. "Obviously, we'll respect that decision. There's a lot of misunderstanding, I think, about what this program is."

Lamrock said he's worried students will be confused by a corporate mascot for a fast foot giant talking to them about the importance of healthy living.

The department has sent a memo to all public school districts advising them that the McDonald's clown is inconsistent with the fitness goals and objectives of the province's school system.

Premier Shawn Graham, a former gym teacher, is promising to beef up physical education programs in schools in an effort to curb the growing problem of childhood obesity.

Although the schools will drop classroom appearances by Ronald McDonald, a spokesman for the Fredericton district says schools will continue to participate in a McDonald's-sponsored fitness program.

The program rewards schools with credits towards the purchase of gym equipment.

With files from Canadian Press