Students paid to attend school
By Angela Watson
Yes, you read correctly, and it’s been happening in NY, Chicago, and now DC. I was prepared to hate the idea initially, but found this article which swayed me a bit.
I can tell you from my experience living in DC that something needs to be done to motivate those kids. I lived right across from Cardoza High School and would watch hundreds of kids streaming out in the afternoons. Maybe 10 would have backpacks on or be carrying books. They would fight in the streets and smoke weed right in front of the cops on school property. Education to those kids was a joke, a waste of time, and it was heartbreaking to watch.
Maybe $100 a week to attend classes, behave appropriately, and maintain good grades is not a bad initiative. The article points out that in wealthier areas, parents often reward their children with money for good grades…does this level the playing field a bit? Is it worth taking a chance on?
What do you think?
Angela Watson
Founder and Writer
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I teach in an inner city as well and I wonder if this would motivate some children to come to school…but at the same time, I can’t help but wonder when we all decided that bribing children to do what they need to do is the right course of action. Yes, I agree that those children need some motivation (the ones in my district seriously do as well)…but honestly, at what cost? When you grow up and get a job, your boss doesn’t simply pay you because you showed up and behaved. You have to work and you have to do a good job. My fear is this sort of thing will continue to have kids asking “what do I get if I do….” which is what I see every day. I teach elementary school and have children who have such a sense of entitlement because everyone gives them EVERYTHING in an attempt to “motivate” them to do better. I taught 2nd graders last year and could not believe how little those children would work if they didn’t think a prize was on the way.
Paying kids to go to school isn’t going to help us in the long run. Parents need to wake up, be accountable and teach their children the VALUE of working hard and earning your way.