By Victor Skinner
EAGnews.org

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Washington D.C. public school system has found a new way to handle students with poor academic performance and behavioral problems: reward them with cash to come to summer school.

The District worked with the Department of Employment Services to recruit hundreds of at-risk ninth-graders by offering them $5.25 per hour to participate in a “Summer Bridge” program, which uses non-traditional coursework and workplace simulations to engage students, the Washington Examiner reports.

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The program aims to reach students who aren’t expected to graduate high school in four years. It’s a noble effort, but it raises serious questions.

Using taxpayer money to motivate struggling and problem students sends a disturbing message: if you slack off during the school year, or get in fights and harass others, the city will pay you through the summer to make up for your misdeeds.

We can only imagine what students who turn in their work on time and go the extra mile during the regular school year think about the “Summer Bridge” program, which seems to incentivize poor performance.

DC schools spokeswoman Melissa Salmanwitz told the Examiner that school officials plan to study the results of this year’s program and intend to expand it next summer.

DC political consultant Chuck Thies believes that could be a bad idea – and we agree. If anything, students should be taught to appreciate the hard-working citizens who pay taxes so they can get an education and prepare for their future. They should not be taught to expect handouts for taking advantage of their free public education.

“How much will we pay going forward, and who will we pay, and what’s the cutoff to get paid?” Thies asked the Examiner. “It’s critical that we get at-risk students and underperforming students and failing students into the program, but I don’t think incentivizing them with money sends the right message.”