Daley: Why can't kids get paid for good grades?

Sun-Times:

If suburban parents can lavish their kids with new cars and trips to warm places in exchange for good grades, why can't inner-city kids get cash bounties, Mayor Daley said Friday.

Daley weighed in for the first time on the "Green for Grades" controversy, one day after the first $265,986 in cash rewards were distributed to 1,650 Chicago Public School students.

Critics contend that the bounties are tantamount to "bribery" and that long-term success depends on self-motivation and the love of learning.

Daley strongly disagreed.

"There are a lot of poor kidsSome of them have nothing. Some don't even have parents.They're lucky to get Christmas gifts. They're lucky they get a hug once in a while. They get it at schoolThey're lucky they have ever a dollaror any coins in their pocket," he said.

"You live in a different world. You don't see children like this. That reward is really exciting for them. They've never ever had anyone. They've never seen a $10 or $20 bill.What they're really trying to express to them is, `You're doing well and, the better off you do commensurate with your education, your salary goes up. If you drop out of school, your salary will never [go up]. It's just an idea of celebrating their academic performance and hard work."

Here's more from CPR though perhaps not a lot about Daley in this post:

For some freshmen in Chicago Public School’s new grade incentive program, it’s payday. Those with all “C’s” or better get part of a pot totaling more than a quarter million dollars. But not everyone is cashing in.

Program creator Dr. Roland Frye holds an oversized check for $24,000.

FRYE: Anybody wanna cash this?

That's the amount 154 Manley High School freshmen will collectively bring home this quarter for good grades. Eighty-six percent of eligible students here rose to the challenge. But across the pilot program, that wasn't the case. About half of all freshmen didn't earn any money.

Is this bribery of our students? I'll admit that this program is certainly creative, but should there be more to doing well in school than being paid to do well in school?

Yes Daley is right, some public school students don't have families who will impart their positive reinforcement. Something that is important especially if it meant kids will do will in school. Suburban families are able to provide their own rewards in the form of money or whatever, but some poor families can't compete with that.

How else should we encourage our students to do well in school, short of outright bribery?