No school, no learning

T hank you for acknowledging the Chicago Public Schools Perfect Attendance Incentive Program with "Gold star or a Dodge?" . As the editorial noted, incentives can be a useful tool in encouraging students to be ...

[eaderray]

Well Arne, you can lead a horse to water...

My concern over the "incentive" program is that it appears to be targeted at schools with less than stellar attendance. While I understand and appreciate your concern, surely you must recognize my concern, as a taxpayer, that these programs should be offered at every school. Are you diverting money from average attendance schools to support low-attendance schools?

As I've stated before, provide me a link into the CPS school budget so that I can see where the money is going. It seems logical that each school would need to submit a budget plan to address the needs that are unique to that individual school. Include the list of schools that need incentives to encourage attendance/participation. Maybe together, we can come up with a solution other than monetary.

One more thing. Throwing more money at a problem will not make it go away. If you continue to provide incentives, the youth of today will consider these items a right, not a privilege. Eventually, they'll tire of them just like the "gold stars" I used to get. What will you do then to keep them motivated?

From my perspective, again as a taxpayer, these programs are bordering on bribery. You may as well pay them to attend. That's the what you're teaching them, no accountability.

"Ask not what your country can do for you.." JFK

[Carrying Concealed]

Incentives, hell! Guess I'm getting too old, used to be one went to school (like it or not) to get an education so that one could eventually become a productive citizen in our society. The only bribery I remember was my father's threat of his foot up my --- if I wasn't in school.

[Carrying Concealed]

PS - I did experience the latter one day when I ditched school for a Cubs game and Dad found out. After that, they would have had to been in the World Series for me to even think about doing that again. As I think about this I can still taste shoe leather - that's what I call incentive.

[Southside Girl]

You have got to be kidding. This is ridiculous. Get up, go to school. Period. If you want to drop out, drop out - just don't expect the rest of us to pay for handouts when you can't support yourself. What about the kids that actually are going to school because - I know this is crazy - they are going to get an education. They should be able to go to school without the distractions the dead beats bring.
There is no reason to get a reward for something you are supposed to do anyway. I'm still waiting for my boss to get me a car because I go to work everyday. I wonder what's taking so long.
Won't it be sad when another CPS honor student gets shot over a new car?

[reader1]

Incentives are a good thing....but a car? That's extreme at least. Today's kids have different lives now then even 10 years ago when my kids were in high school. There are a lot more single parent homes and that parent is usually working long hours to keep food on the table. Who else would make sure those kids get to school?

[Carrying Concealed]

reader1 wrote:

Incentives are a good thing....but a car? That's extreme at least. Today's kids have different lives now then even 10 years ago when my kids were in high school. There are a lot more single parent homes and that parent is usually working long hours to keep food on the table. Who else would make sure those kids get to school?

Sorry, my mother died when I was eleven. From then through my senior year I college I got my butt to school
and on time.