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New school fundraiser: Selling grades for cash

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Comments (20)

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

(Updated 9:40 am)

By
Associated Press

GOLDSBORO (AP) — A middle school is selling grades to students to raise money for the school.

The News & Observer of Raleigh reported today that Rosewood Middle School in Goldsboro has come up with a novel fundraising plan after last year's chocolate sale flopped.

The school will sell 20 test points to students in exchange for a $20-dollar donation.

Students can add 10 extra points to each of two tests of their choosing. The extra points could take a student from a "B'' to an "A'' on a test or from a failing grade to a passing grade.

Rosewood's principal Susie Shepherd rejected the idea that extra points on two tests could make a difference in a final grade.

Shepherd said she approved the idea when a parent advisory council presented it. "Last year they did chocolates and it didn't generate anything," Shepherd said.

The funds will go toward improved technology for Rosewood, including digital cameras for the computer lab and a high-tech blackboard.

But officials at the state Department of Public Instruction said exchanging grades for money teaches children the wrong lessons.

The department's chief academic officer, Rebecca Garland, told the News & Observer she understands that schools are struggling during the recession but added that, "We're teaching kids something that if they were to do it later, they could get in trouble for."

Garland said offering students test credit in exchange for school supplies is a long standing practice at some schools. "I've never actually heard of being able to purchase grades before," she said.

Parents need to have a true picture of how their student is performing in class, Garland said.

No donations have been collected so far, Shepherd said. Rosewood students have until November 20 to hand in their money.

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notoriousBLOG

November 11, 2009 - 8:48 am EST

Well, we certainly don't have to wonder why are schools are failing when we read something like this.

GrammarPolice

November 11, 2009 - 9:43 am EST

Dear Notorious,

Certainly we did fail. I see constant misuse of the words 'are' and 'our'. Homonyms they may be, an easy mistake even, however when commenting about how our schools are failing says a great deal. Our schools are failing to teach some important skills that make the difference between appearing educated and professional, and having just gotten by.

dcwcat97

November 11, 2009 - 10:15 am EST

no, notoriousBLOG, he/she's not calling you gay.

histrion

November 11, 2009 - 10:42 am EST

Well, they're definitely not teaching civility and decorum, Grammar. Sometimes folks' fingers get ahead of their brains. Happens to the best of us. In notorious' case, that resulted in a minor grammatical error. In your case... well.

histrion

November 11, 2009 - 11:00 am EST

Oh, and one more thing: I'd be happy to point out several syntactical errors in your comment if you think it would be helpful. Just offering. Glass houses. Stones. And all that. They're homophones, by the way, not homonyms. I know it's an easy mistake to make... ;-)

ChadinGSO

November 11, 2009 - 11:48 am EST

Oh no he din't...snap!

histrion

November 11, 2009 - 11:54 am EST

Thank you, thank you. I'm here 'til Thursday

GrammarPolice

November 11, 2009 - 3:51 pm EST

I regret my earlier comment. It was not productive, nor necessary. Please forgive me.

notoriousBLOG

November 11, 2009 - 9:28 pm EST

I, how shall I say this, just arrived back at home after working the day away to read the comments. I love it, how one grammatical error is the topic of discussion. That is why blogging is fun.

Wilhammer

November 11, 2009 - 9:16 am EST

Teaches students a very important lesson - corruption.

We sell votes; why not grades?

Lobbyists buy influence, why not grades?

humorous2me

November 11, 2009 - 9:19 am EST

Setting aside the fact that you are teaching children to learn that working is optional as long as you have enough money, how is this fair to every child? Growing up, one of my friends was one of eleven children (up to six would be at a middle school at one time). Should she be restricted to her "earned B" simply because her parents would not have had an extra $120? I know times are tight, but really Rosewood, did you think this all the way through?

Panacea

November 11, 2009 - 9:21 am EST

Clearly they didn't.

histrion

November 11, 2009 - 10:43 am EST

Wow. Just... wow. I hope for their sakes this was just a "modest proposal" aimed at highlighting the crisis they're facing. If they're in earnest, heads need to roll.

countryboy

November 11, 2009 - 10:58 am EST

WOW

countryboy

November 11, 2009 - 10:58 am EST

RESUME

Johnny B. Goode
Age: 23
Edumecation: Rosewood Middle School
Goldsboro, NC

Dew too thu fakt I spended all me monies tryen to git more better grads in skool, I has to git me one of them their jobs. Pleeze conseeder me for a Vice-Preesedents posicion.

I no I wil be suksesful cause I made strate "A"'s at Rosewood.

oh good grief

November 11, 2009 - 12:25 pm EST

"Cash for grades" is horribly misguided, but is only one step beyond the practices at some elementary and middle schools to "encourage" children to read books by promising students that if "enough" books are read their teacher or principal or even the school superintendent (i.e., adults who are "supposed to be" in charge of educating children) will climb on the school roof, will jump into a pool of jello, and/or will wear a clown outfit (unless, of course, that is the day-to-day attire for the education professionals), all to be done in the name of "encouraging" children to read.

I cannot imagine ANY of my elementary or middle school teachers resorting to such silliness to encourage us to read. If I had come home and told my father and mother what activity was planned if my class read X number of books, my father would have said with no hesitation, "[educator's name] isn't right in the head." If my father was in a hurry to get his point across he would have limited his words to four: "[educator's name] is tetched."

histrion

November 11, 2009 - 12:41 pm EST

"Read, learn, and we'll do something harmless and entertaining to reward and encourage you" versus "Pay us for a better grade." I'd say that's more than a step, Grief. Kids should read for the shear joy of learning, but if they won't do that in this world of "push" media and (effectively) absentee parents, then I'm all for trying other inducements. Giving them a better grade just because they have parents willing to cough up $20, on the other hand...

jbalma

November 11, 2009 - 1:19 pm EST

Our schools MERITOCRACY OR ARTISTOCRACY? There was once a great historical event called the Reformation that was driven by the sale of indulgences. Teachers, think about it the next time a homework pass is offerred as a reward for something that has little or nothing to do with the individual student's academic success.

Beanhead

November 11, 2009 - 3:06 pm EST

Wow....This is an all-time low in education. Buying test grades....next maybe a few hundred dollars can buy you a diploma and you can skip the whole thing. This hurts the entire community and sends a bad lesson about money and corruption. I am sorry chocolates didn't work at getting the school money. but making the very kids who are to benefit from the fundraising, pay the fundraising efforts, seems ridiculous to me .

This administration and parents should be ashamed of themselves for even coming up with such a ludicrious approach for fundraising. Wow!!