Come to school, get a TV

CaliopeSpidrman

Did anyone else hear the story on NPR about schools in Michigan giving away TVs and iPods to kids just for showing up today?  Apparently they have two "count days" a year where the number of kids in attendance is counted to determine state funding.  This was a quote from one of the principals offering various incentives for kids to show up on count day:They're children. They're not little soldiers. And we were kids once. So I don't see anything wrong with incentives or treats to try to convince children to do or be on the track that you want them to be on. I might agree with her if the incentives weren't only offered on count day, regardless of previous attendance.  Way to send a message to kids.

wingedbride

saying a TV or ipod is a "treat" cracks me up.

Vinny08

A treat would be an ice cream social, not a foffing iPod.

noisy_penguin

I hope when we take Will trick-or-treating this year people give him iPods and TVs.

Knottie_22382080

If I ran a school that needed to do anything similar to this. I would give out the prizes to those with perfect attendance up until the count days. It might make more show up consecutively.

Novemberrocks

I deserve an ipod for showing up to work.  Lord, why have you foresaken me?

mashedpotato

I had perfect attendance 8-11 grade, I got shite. WTF?

SarahBethBR

I did hear this story and cracked up at that lady's justification.Hell, I don't have a flat screen tv and I showed up for school pretty consistently for 16 years.  I have a job and a house and food.  There's my reward for going to school.

CaptainSerious

Hey, SB, I agree with you!

SarahBethBR

Wait, I changed my mind.  Free TVs for all!

cleg

Lurker here. I remember when I was a sophomore in HS my school did something like this. All the pricipals / VPs talked up our official attendance day & said anyone who showed up would get an extra special something, that it was really important to show up because of the funding thing (this was one of the poorest high schools in the city), etc. WEEKS later we get our treats- a pack of smarties. I don't know what exactly I was expecting, but I was irritated at the smarties. I hate smarties. Still irritates me, but probably because I had issues with my principal anyway.

KristenBtobe

Yes, some states take head counts on certain days to determine funding to districts. It sucks. My urban, low performing district always makes picture day on one of the attendance days so their numbers will be up. They should base it on average attendance, not just one day.

prettypinkypeonies

What ever happened to pizza parties?

KristenBtobe

Oh, and because of obesity, food rewards are prohibited in one district I work with.