New York Times, Los Angeles Times and U.S.A Today (摘要）: Yes. Simple but inexpensive gifts like Cards or chocolates would serve the goal very well.
And yes. Gifts can easily lead to corruption when educators have the unchecked power to grade the students.
As a wake-up call, I am writing a letter to the nation’s major news papers to discuss the Asian culture of “respecting teachers and gifting teachers”.
Corruption in education is particularly damaging because it endangers a country's social, economic and political future. Corruption in education is more detrimental than corruption in other sectors because of its long-term effects. It threatens equal access, quantity and quality of education.
Its consequences are particularly harsh for the poor who, without access to education or with no alternative but low-quality education, have little chance to escape a life of poverty.
Corruption is incompatible with one of the major aims of education: producing citizens that respect the law and human rights.
If children come to believe that personal effort and merit do not count and that success comes through manipulation, favoritism and bribery, then the very foundations of society are shaken.
Curbing corruption in education requires a similar approach to tackling corruption in other social sectors. Governments should work to increase accountability in educational systems and within the civil service generally. The civil service needs clear recruitment and career-development rules that are based on merit, with simple and clear lines of responsibility. Capacities must be built within institutions so that officials can apply existing regulations. Teachers and civil servants must be adequately paid. Clear sanctions for bribery must coexist with conflict of interest rules and codes of conduct. The administration's political independence and its political commitment against corruption at the highest level are also critical. Another key determinant for successfully battling corruption in education is access to information, for example on resources allocated to schools, and effective complaint mechanisms for students and parents. Finally, civil society should be involved in educational planning and school management, because public participation builds ownership and demand for accountability. 我的万维博文: | | 美国华裔送老师厚礼，坏了不只是行情，也坏了人心。
作为教师，我对这一类的送礼反感。特别是在彼此还不认识，连我的工作的好 坏都不知道的时候。
请问你们这些家长：
你们期望遇到一位公平的对待每一位同学的老师，还是特殊照顾你们送过礼的孩子的老师？
你们希望孩子们活在这种因为送礼老师而享受到的优越感里吗？ 你们不怕别人还有更重的礼，然后你的小孩退居N位吗？ 你们认为孩子们的分数重要还是人品重要？
你们知道我最希望听到的是一句什么话吗？ “因为您，我的儿子/女儿懂得了关爱，正直，勤奋。”
当你们的孩子们从学校，从老师那里学到这些好品质的时候，你们欣慰吗？
如果是的话，当你们的孩子们结束了我的教育以后，我乐意接受你们的小礼物。
为人师表，先做人，后育人。
身为学子，分数是一时的，人品才是永久的。 | | | 
