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Detroit Public Schools are paying kids up to $1,000 just to attend class — and teaching them an awful lesson

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Detroit public schools have an absolutely hideous rate of chronic absenteeism. But their solution is even worse — paying kids to show up.

A newly expanded program could see middle and high school kids making as much as $500 or $1,000-a-year, respectively, in gift cards for simply attending class.

The district claims it creates an incentive for kids to show up — it’s called the “Perfect Attendance Pays” program — but it’s a desperate, last-ditch attempt to fix a much deeper cultural crisis.

The program is actually teaching toxic life lessons: that simply showing up is some sort of accomplishment, and you’re entitled to be rewarded for doing the bare minimum.

The initiative has been in effect for high schoolers for two school years. The district announced this month that middle schoolers will also be eligible.

It’s an attempt to chip away at the daunting fact that a full 60.9% of students in the district were........

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