I haven't awarded any morons lately, and I apologize for that. I know morons are everywhere but it's really difficult to pick the "good ones" that deserve the spotlight for their 15 minutes. I have had complaints in the past about calling people morons, and well, I really don't care what those people think. They're morons anyway.
With that said, the newest morons in the spotlight are the Fulton County School District.
Fulton County schools want to pay students to stay in school a little longer.
Forty students from Creekside High and Bear Creek Middle schools in Fairburn will be the first to try the "Learn & Earn" program, where students will get paid to attend after-school tutoring programs.
Students will make approximately $8 an hour, and be eligible for bonuses if their grades improve, said Kirk Wilks, district spokesman. The initial students are in the eighth and 11th grades.
…
The object of the program is to determine if paying students to study will improve classroom attendance, grades and test scores, according to a news release from the district.
The initiative is funded by Charles Loudermilk, chairman and chief executive officer of Aaron Rents, through the Learning Makes A Difference Foundation. The foundation is a local non-profit designed to improve education through creative programs.
Are they really this stupid? This is not a "creative" idea, it's bribery. There is no other word for it.
They are taking the easy way out. Instead of devoting time and resources to addressing the problem that keeps these students from making an effort, they are trying to fix the problem with instant cash.
The board members of the Learning Makes A Difference Foundation should be real proud of this one. Instead of working with these students to give them a real incentive to study hard they are bribing them to stay after school and participate in a study that is so flawed that it will cost more than $8 per hour, per student, to undo the mess it causes.
What ever gave these "creative" types the idea that paying students for their hard work was a good idea? I bet it was some college educated guy who thinks he knows best and forced his hand at some point within the organization. He obviously learned something when he was in school.
These students will not benefit from this program. Oh sure, their attendance will improve, that's a given, because they will be making $8 an hour just for sitting on their asses, but once the 15 week trial is up, what happens then? Why should they keep working hard when the "incentive" is no longer there? Why should they keep trying hard when the money stops? These students will expect an immediate reward for any "hard work", and they will come to expect something everytime they dot their 'i's" and cross their "t's".
The only thing this program does is prepare the students to always expect something for doing nothing, which, unless you haven't noticed we have enough people doing already.
[Hat Tip: Peach Pundit]
Chip Flowers
