Parents Sell Test Points in Fundraiser

The parents advisory council of a North Carolina middle school will sell 20 test points for $20 in a fundraiser. The AP reported:

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

Principal Susie Shepherd says it's not enough of an impact to change a student's overall grades.

Buying grades at an early age? Surely, we're training a future batch of Congressmen and women.

Add the Arnie Duncan model of paying kids for "A's" and you have a transactional education micro-economy. How did people learn before institutionalized bribing?

Extrinsic motivators, like money, kill intrinsic motivation, the natural pride and joy in learning and doing a good job. Where there once was joy...