Show me the money!

CBS News recently reported a story about parents being paid cash incentives to send their children to school. My immediate reaction was this is wrong, wrong, wrong. After more information and a little thought I'm not sure how I feel.

Here are a few of the things that qualify for compensation.

• $50.00 to get your child a library card


• $25.00 to attend a parents teachers conference


• $600.00 if your kid passes a standard test


• $200.00 if your child gets a physical
  

If a family takes advantage of every incentive they could collect $6,000.00 a year for what they should be doing anyway.

So here's where I'm torn. I absolutely believe that parents are responsible for getting their children involved in obtaining an education. Especially when it's provided FREE of charge. Well except for that tax thing they take from us each year. BUT (you knew it was coming didn't ya?) should the child suffer because a parent is too lazy or sorry to care if their child gets an education? Is it the child's fault the parent sees no or little value in being educated?

Also, I don't know how the numbers work out but I would bet that the money paid out today will save ten times that amount in the future. I think an educated child, with a chance at a better life, is less likely to commit crime and be a productive part of society. Thus saving the tax payer money in the form of public defenders, court cost, police work and detention facilities.

So is this the answer? Pay parents to do what's best for their children for the sake of the children. Ah but this is a slippery slope. What about the millions of low-income families that put education as a top priority without getting paid to do so. How would a program like this affect them? Will they start saying "Show me the money"?