Extra credit assignments present opportunities for students to go above and beyond their class’s current curriculum and expand their knowledge while granting a small bump to their grades. For example, any English teachers award extra credit to students who attend and analyze school plays. The students are not only granted a grade boost but enjoy a showing of youth talent while supporting the school’s Theater Department. However, the innocuous idea of rewarding students for transcending academic expectations is jeopardized by teachers’ need for school supplies and their conflicting moral obligations.
The district does not supply teachers with a sufficient amount of resources for their classes. Teachers then turn to students for basic classroom supplies, as it is financially unreasonable for them to carve a chunk out of their own paycheck to address the district’s inability to provide basic classroom necessities. A single ream of copy paper from Staples can cost up to $15, and a six-pack of Kleenex tissues, $33.99. Thus, teachers have turned to offering extra credit points in exchange. This practice is unethical, as it provides zero educational knowledge to students and only allows those who are financially well-off to essentially buy boosts to their GPA. Tissues are especially in need amidst this time of the pandemic.
Another problem arose when the 2022 Jack Emery Drive had a slow start this year, with donations falling drastically short of ASB’s goal of $22,000. However, the number of donations shot up exponentially after the school encouraged teachers to motivate students to donate. Some teachers rewarded students who donated bulk amounts of cans and cash with extra credit points. Rewarding students who can afford to go beyond their budget to aid their grades is unfair and undermines bona fide altruism, as most students likely did not donate out of heartfelt compassion, but to inflate their grades.
The solution to the shortage of school supplies is simple: the district must allocate more funds to classroom supplies, specifically copy paper and boxes of tissues. Extra credit can then be turned into assignments related to course material. Some teachers offer to change the format of final exams to classes that donate a set amount of cans, but that does not eliminate the problem. Instead, incentives must be thought out thoroughly and discussed with the school or district to ensure all students have the same chance and opportunities to improve their grades while strengthening their passion for subjects.
Teachers should not throw away the idea of extra credit as a whole, for some classes are not survivable without them. Still, they should level the academic playing field with course-related assignments rather than incentivized donations.