Buying better grades as a fundraiser

[RunningGirl]

Does anyone think this is a good idea?!?

http://www.newsobserver.com/news/education/story/185460.html

 

[C.Ann]

Bad idea..

I agree with this snippet from the article:
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"But Garland said exchanging grades for money teaches children the wrong lessons. She also said it is bad testing practice and is unfair to students whose parents can't pay.

"If a student in college were to approach a professor to buy a grade, we would be frowning on that," Garland said. "It might even be a reason for dismissal. We're teaching kids something that if they were to do it later, they could get in trouble for."

Students should know that test grades are based on what they've learned, and parents need to have a true picture of how their child is performing in class, Garland said."

 

[LuvOrlando]

I misread it the first time around. Second time reading it sounds really bad.

 

[DWGal210]

I agree, this is very unfair. There was a thread on here not too long ago about a child that was asked to bring in Yankee Candles for an increase in the grade.

I don't mind extra credit, but this is too much - you're going to have the kids who can afford the "donations" getting good grades that they really didn't earn, and the kids that can't afford it won't have the same advantage.

 

[RunningGirl]

My question is - how in the world did the principal agree to this?!? I would think that promoting something like this would be cause for dismissal.

 

[hrh_disney_queen]

I would seriously worry about a principal who thought that this was OK.

A $20 donation to Rosewood Middle School would have gotten a student 20 test points - 10 extra points on two tests of the student's choosing. That could raise a B to an A, or a failing grade to a D.

Susie Shepherd, the principal, said a parent advisory council came up with the idea, and she endorsed it. She said the council was looking for a new way to raise money.

"Last year they did chocolates, and it didn't generate anything," Shepherd said.

Shepherd rejected the suggestion that the school is selling grades. Extra points on two tests won't make a difference in a student's final grade, she said.



Well, either it does raise grades or it doesn't. So they are either selling grades or deceiving donors.

 

[lovetoscrap]

Are they out of their minds????? That is the stupidist thing I have ever heard!

 

[Becky2005]

My thought was umm...anyone heard of BRIBES??? I do believe that is frowned upon and actually illegal.

The more I read this stuff, the more I like my school -- they don't even beat around the bush -- they just flat out ask you for money. They call it an "unfundraiser" and don't force you to do it but I think they have pretty much made their goal every year because 99% of the parents would rather just fork over the $20/kid or $30/family one time during the year than deal with other things.

They still do fundraisers with such things as Box Tops, book fairs, etc...

The HS, does basically the same thing but if you want the school directory you have to pay the $30.00 to get it -- so I suppose technically you are buying the school directory for $30.00. Any other fundraisers are class specific.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Are they going to have to consider making a law banning this nonsense.

It is unethical, extremely unfair and has nothing to do with the brainpower of the student.

In corporate america or government, this is called B-R-I-B-E-R-Y.

I like how the teacher said it wont' make an overall difference in a students grade.

Hogwash!

In a college psychology class, it would have easily converted my C (had a C by 1 stinking point!) to a B.

And made my one calc II exam that I had a bad day on--go from a C to an A. Which would have saved my A in the class that I had until that C.

And while I did not lose my scholarship--I had a GPA dependent scholarship and that semester my GPA was a 2.65. By adjusting 2 grades, my GPA would have been far better and for some students, that $20 bribe would result in a $1200 ride.

What a life lesson she was trying to teach. Cheat your way with cash to stuff you have not earned.

 

[EthansMom]

That's just wrong. I'm glad that someone reported them and got it stopped.

 

[Carly_Roach]

In corporate america or government, this is called B-R-I-B-E-Y.

I'm hoping you mean B-R-I-B-E-R-Y?

 

[Sparx]

i remember when i was in high school teachers would give us a homework pass if we donated 1.00 to saint jude's. and they gave a pizza party to the class who donated the most. i feel like that would've been completely fine.

however. 20.00 for 20.00 points is just insane.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I'm hoping you mean B-R-I-B-E-R-Y?

It's funny--my keyboard gives me great difficulty. It is a disaster with many pried off keys and sticking keys.

Anyway--I had gotten the first letters inverted and fixed them and told myself I had to spell it right so it didn't look stupid.

And I forgot a letter.

Really--I'm not ignorant of the English language. My keyboard just makes it appear that way. I wonder if I pay it $20 if that would help.

 

[C.Ann]

What a life lesson she was trying to teach. Cheat your way with cash to stuff you have not earned.

Exactly! Is this a lesson we really want our youth to learn?

 

[HsvTeacher]

That is just wrong! Wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong! I do not understand how anyone would think this is ethical.