Giving away iPods, gas vouchers and expensive prizes for
near-perfect attendance sends the wrong message about the value of
education
A recent story published in this paper detailed a growing national trend: rewarding high school students with near-perfect attendance by entering them into a lottery for prizes. One school district went so far as to put a new pick-up truck into the prize pool.
The incentive for a perfect attendance record should come from within the family, not without. It should be the duty of parents to instill in young students the idea that education is necessary and valuable. Why is a certificate acknowledging perfect attendance at the end of the school year, as in days past, no longer acceptable?
As to iPods and gasoline vouchers, yes, every student wants to be wired with the latest new gadgets, and gas is expensive, especially for students.
But we are informed now that Type II diabetes is becoming endemic among our youth due to poor diet and lack of exercise. In view of this data, it seems poorly planned to give incentive gifts that discourage physical activity.
We also understand that school district funds can take a big hit when ADA – average daily attendance – drops. And, the programs are entirely new thinking, and the students are excited about it, as well they should be.
But results so far would seem to say that the programs have not had much effect. The vehicles are generally donated to the school by dealers, so there’s no financial downside for the school administration. But the larger question is whether it makes sense to provide these types of incentives to encourage what should be expected behavior.
Also, a $30,000 or so vehicle is not free, even if it seems so. Sales tax is due, as is income tax, as well as registration fees. Plus there are the steep insurance rates for a new driver with a new vehicle. Who pays those? We must wonder if such a gift might turn out to be quite the white elephant, no matter the appeal of the shiny new paint and intoxicating new-car smell.
And finally, we address the school health issue. In the 180 days or so of the school year, it is reasonable to expect that there are at least several days when students are too ill to attend school. The incentives mentioned might well cause those students who really should be home recuperating (and not infecting others) to attend school anyway, to the detriment of their classmates.
None of these incentive programs have reached Gilroy yet. Let’s keep it that way because they’re a bad idea.
