OH Students Paid to Go to School

In this State of the Union address, President Obama unveiled a plan that would require students to go to school to stay in school through age 18, if they didn’t graduate first.  This may not have been in his plans, however.  An Ohio charter school enticing kids to show up by paying them.  And guess who’s paying for it.

FOX News Radio’s Chris Hoenig reports:

Ohio’s Dohn Community High School is using $40,000 in federal money to boost attendance by giving by that money directly to students.

(Davenport) “We’re hoping that this incentive will get those kids off the streets and into a school building where they can be taught a skill to be productive in society.”

Principal Ramone Davenport’s plan gives students Visa gift cards for each week of perfect attendance: seniors get $25, underclassmen get $10.  Each time a student earns a card, another $5 is put into a savings account that’s paid out at graduation.

So, is it working?

(Davenport) “Absolutely.  You have students who haven’t been here in three or four days coming through, walking through the building.”

Critics say the plan is false motivation, and kids shouldn’t be paid for something they’re required to do.

Chris Hoenig, FOX News Radio.