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16th Feb 2018

Principal goes to extreme lengths to make sure students show up to school

Keeley Ryan

And some people really aren’t happy.

One principal has gone to extreme lengths to make sure students show up to school.

The head teacher at a school in Shelby County, Tennessee, is offering $100 to one parent – provided their child has perfect attendance.

According to local outlet Channel 3 News, the “reward” was offered in an effort to fight truancy in the district.

The station showed a screenshot of  a letter that was reportedly sent out to parents, detailing the conditions of the offer.

And local parents were of mixed opinions about the situation.

One parent told the news station that she was worried about the possible pressures of perfect attendance.

She said:

“I believe it’s a good incentive, but they should want to send their kids to school regardless.

“[But] if your kids are sick, just leave them home. Don’t make them go to school if they are sick.”

But others disagreed with the premise altogether.

Sharon Howard told the news outlet:

“They didn’t have to pay me to do anything, because I was a parent that put my foot down.

“I took mine everyday, and I dared them to walk out that door once I took them to school. I dared them to walk out.”

It’s not the first time, either, that the principal has had to resort to the reward.

According to Channel News 3, the “incentive” has been running for two years.