Want New Shoes? Go to Class: Detroit Gives Students Who Show Up to Class New Pair of Nikes
Kulture Kritic recently reported that some Washington D.C. students were being paid to be a part of a summer school program. The DC students wanted summer
jobs, not summer school, but were drafted by DCPS to fill a gap in enrollment. In exchange for going to the summer program, students were promised $5.25 per hour. Now it seems that Detroit schools are adopting a similar policy. But Detroit schools aren’t handing out checks. They’re giving away free tennis shoes.
Bob’s Classic Kicks has made it possible for students who show up to Student Count Day to get a new pair of shoes. Every student who shows up for class on October 3rd gets a new pair of Nikes, according to CBS Detroit.
What’s so important about October 3rd you ask? Students who show up for class on that day are included in the count, which determines funding from the state and federal government. So each student who shows up for class is a little more cha-ching for the school.
Why is Bob’s Classic Kicks giving away shoes? Christian Dorsey, manager at BCK, explains.
“Well, first off, we decided since we’ve been in the community for eight years, we wanted to give back to the community, so why not do what we do best — which is shoes.”
Some might say that the donation of free shoes could’ve been better used for a more substantive donation, such scholarships, software programs, or any number of other things.
All in all, the school expects to give out anywhere from 14,000 to 17,000 pairs of shoes. And the shoes aren’t being given out for achievement or exceeded expectations, but just for showing up. If that doesn’t tell you something about America’s failed culture of achievement, I don’t know what will.
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Well h**l if they go to college give them a Cadillac and throw in some 22s with a new house,,,,still gonna be the same song, the city will be still broke
I live in Detroit and I work in the schools here. You can say that our children are better served by donating money, ect. Everyone should give what they can give to foster a childs’ desire to attend school. I work with children and teens who actually need shoes and clothing and their parents have little or no means to provide school clothes and/or supplies. So I say give what ever you want, just give and help a child want to go to school!
At this point in education for poor, inner city youth, administrators and politicians who care will try seemingly outrageous things to get kids into the school buildings. After all, the kids have to be there to hear what is being taught. I hope it helps.