Nov 13 2009
Cash for Grades?
[AJC]
That controversial “cash for grades” fund raiser at a North Carolina middle school didn’t last too long.
After the scheme to award extra points on tests for $20 appeared in the Raleigh News & Observer, Wayne County district officials today killed the Rosewood Middle School fund raiser.
Struggling with ways to raise cash for technology, the school came upon the idea of selling extra points. A $20 donation earned a student 20 test points – 10 extra points on two tests of the student’s choosing. A $30 donation bought the test points and admission to a 5th-period dance; a $60 donation purchased students test points, the dance invitation, and a “special 30-minute lunch period with pizza, drink and the choice to invite one friend to join them.”
Rebecca Garland, the chief academic officer for the state Department of Public Instruction, said she fears the program sends the wrong lesson about buying grades.
[From me]
I love the quote: “we fear it sends the wrong message.” Ya think? Come on. Colleges go on NCAA probation for buying grades. Man, for only $20 I would have bought as many as I could!
What do you think?
![[del.icio.us]](http://images.del.icio.us/static/img/delicious.small.gif){kind=small}
As easy as it is to mock this school district (what were they thinking?!), my daughters’ schools used to do the same thing, albeit with a middleman of sorts. They would get bonus points for bringing in various things like supplies for the school. It wasn’t a direct cash payment, but my wallet couldn’t tell the difference.
[...] of stuff the Old Media probably won’t tell you Posted on November 14, 2009 by Neil Cash for Grades? That controversial “cash for grades” fund raiser at a North Carolina middle school didn’t [...]