what's this world coming too?

For real whats this world coming too when we have to pay kids to go to school?

HELLO? Its the frickin law. Until you are 16 you HAVE to go to school.

I am referring to the program written up in the Sun times paper that they are testing out where they pay kids to go to school. This is just for freshman and sophmores in 20 CPS schools. Freshman and Sophmores because these two grades have the highest drop out rates. Douglas, Al Raby, Simeon.... to name a few. These are schools with medium to high dropout rates and CPS feels that they could retain more students if they paid them a certain amount per A = $50 B = $35 and C = $20. You receive half at report card time and half WHEN you graduate up to 4000 dollars altogether.

Recently in conversation it was remarked that the black community does not value education the same as other cultures may. Many people present accepted this as true and I was confused. It was explained to me that especially on the West side in families close to the poverty line, people are focused on getting money now to put food on the table and other life necessities. It is hard to focus on school as the rewards of that may not pay off for many years. It makes more sense to go out and get a job now to help out or even to survive.

How do you argue with that?

Study or eat. Study or help out the family. Its hard to have vision for the future when the present is a woken nightmare. I get it, but is this the way in which to do that? Is that money that is being furnished through private donations, NOT TAX DOLLARS, going to make that much of a difference? I am not sure.

Being sensitive and understanding some of the reasons why the drop out rates MAY be higher in these communities I am wanting to say yes, this money may help.

But I have this nagging sense that this program cannot be sustainable and how exactly is it teaching on the importance and necessity of education? I think kids (and some adults) are lazy alot and need all this special motivation and incentive to do anything and thats bogus.

I also hate this argument going around that OOOH THE SUBURBAN kids get money already from their parents so this is leveling the playing field. OK NO. All suburban kids dont get money from their parents for good grades and some city kids do too!!! I never knew anyone that received money for good grades and my friends and I all completed high school. None of us got $ or cars or a pony or anything for graduation. None of our parents paid for our college educations. None of our parents were rich.

Does that mean others shouldn't be afforded that luxury ? No,but I feel that completing high school because someone paid you too is self defeating and taking away the lesson that school is important.

But I will agree with the any means necesary approach when our dropout rate nears the half mark in some school in the city.

There has to be a better way.
I just dont know what it is right now.


Read about this here:

http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/content/education/chi-money-for-grades-11-sep11,0,7506945.story

and here

http://www.suntimes.com/news/education/1157373,CST-NWS-skul11web.article

and here

www.kevingwin.blogspot.com