The only fair way to do it would be to issue "school dollars" that can be earned only by being a productive contributing member of the school body (good grades,

The only fair way to do it would be to issue "school dollars" that can be earned only by being a productive contributing member of the school body (good grades, helping peers, extracurricular activities like band, sports, art, theater, etc). Kids then get to use those earned dollars to pay for things they need. This may actually help lessen the issues with school that pg outlined in his essay in Hackers and Painters, since it makes school function less like a prison and more like a functioning society. It rewards productivity and not popularity. My only concern is the impact of extrinsic rewards on those activities students are intrinsically motivated to pursue. On the other hand, this might reinforce the idea that you should early on figure out that you'll be most happy in life if you can earn a living doing the activities you love most.