Recently there has been a trend among public school systems to reward students for attending class. In the hope of boosting the enrollment average, a Wyoming school decided to give away a vehicle for outstanding attendance. To qualify for the drawing, students were only allowed one excused absence for the entire year.
Not only is the concept of rewarding students for something they legally are bound to do ridiculous but the grand prize was no run-of-the-mill vehicle. A dealership donated a 2007 Chevrolet Colorado crew cab priced at $28,000. Remember, all for near-perfect attendance.
Logically then, I should be rewarded for driving the speed limit, returning items to Bracken library on time, or abiding by any other expected policy. Imagine receiving a bonus check from the State of Indiana for having zero infractions on your driver license or having Ball State University knock down the tuition. Receiving benefits for expected behavior is unrealistic; the concept is completely irrational.
High school officials claim that the student average attendance would increase due to the potential reward. Yet this claim is not supported through any credible studies and lacks critical evidence.
I attended a high school that had a similar reward policy for attendance, giving away a donated used car at the end of the school year. However, not once did I roll out of bed thinking to myself, "Today, I'm going to school in hopes of winning a car." The reality is that none of my friends went to school solely for the slight chance of acquiring a vehicle.
The creative and encouraging attendance policies of public schools are an attempt to secure more funding. For example, a one-student increase in daily attendance means another $12,000 in state funding for Wyoming schools. Only one student has to buy into the program in order for the school to make money. One has to wonder what the actual motivation is behind creating outrageous prizes for a required act.
Attendance policy problems don't stop at the high school level, either. Just look at Ball State. Many academic departments and individual professors feel it necessary to impose strict attendance guidelines. Learning does occur inside the classroom through participation and collaboration, but college isn't like high school where it's a legal requirement. College students voluntarily pay tuition, which later becomes the income for instructors, for the opportunity to sit in a lecture hall. It should be the students' decision whether or not to attend class.
Professors should not have the right to alter grades based on student attendance. Policies that give points for showing up or penalize students after a certain number of absences should not be tolerated. Students who skip class are already missing out on important class notes, discussions and announcements. Putting forth the effort to attend class rests on the shoulders of students, not professors.
The responsibility for low attendance levels falls upon the instructors. The difficulty of the class, importance of in-class discussion and classroom activities reflect the climate of the class and professor. Engaging and charismatic instructors make lectures fun and meaningful for students, whereas the common sign-in sheet creates an unneeded requirement. A student that can miss the majority of semester classes is either a genius or in a very easy college course.
Classes should be challenging and creative, creating curiosity within the student. Students should want to attend class and not feel an undue sense of obligation.
Do I hear "education redefined," anyone?
Travis O'Neill is a junior language arts and communication studies major and writes 'The O Report' for the Daily News. His views do not necessarily agree with those of the newspaper.
Write to Travis at tjoneill@bsu.edu.
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