This is a problem

As a teacher, I already dislike the idea of paying bonuses to teachers with classes who have great test scores. Other than the obvious reason that teaching students to pass a test, doesn't mean they are smarter...it means they can take a test well. It's the potential for unfair dealings to be done within administration. In my school there are two people who decide the entire class outlook for the entire school. If they didn't like teacher X, they could give him/her a class that will be a virtual lock to underperform and not be eligible for any bonuses. It's not even a matter of smart kids, versus, not so smart kids. It's an issue of class chemistry, and classroom dynamics. Talk to any teacher worth their salt, and they'll tell you each year brings a new classroom, a new dynamic depending on the chemistry of the students.

But, THIS is worse. Paying students to take AP level classes, even if it's after school is unethical in my view. Give these students time off, let them leave 1-2 hour early from school and attend a college class. But, out right paying them...I think not! As a student who was trapped in high school and not deemed smart enough to take AP classes, isn't it slightly unfair to possibly discriminate some other kid and deny them a chance to make some extra cash, much less learn more?

Finally, it has come to my attention through a mutual friend that a city on the eastern seaboard is considering paying their students simply for getting good grades in school. Yeah, that has NO chance for corruption!!

Forget that, though. We should be fostering a love of learning in our schools, and fully funding our schools, not establishing a payola program for grades. It's unethical, and it smacks of EVERYTHING that is wrong with this country. Capitalism and greed cannot solve EVERYTHING...wow! Appalling.