Game Forces Teachers to Compete for Dollars for School Supplies

Game Forces Teachers to Compete for Dollars for School Supplies

(UnitedHeadlines.com) – The US has a serious problem when it comes to education. Across the nation, many teachers don’t have the necessary supplies they need to teach their students properly. As educators compete to fund their classrooms, people on the outside have differing opinions on the issue, and how to help.

The Game

According to reports from South Dakota newspaper Argus Reader, CU Mortgage Direct donated $5,000 in one-dollar bills for local teachers. The catch? In order to get the money, the educators had to take part in a game that has risen quite a bit of controversy.

The school district chose 10 local teachers to partake in the “Dash for Cash” in the middle of an ice rink during the halftime of a Sioux Falls Stampede hockey game. Each contestant scrambled to collect as many dollar bills as possible before the five-minute time limit expired.

Whatever money the teachers collected went toward much-needed school supplies for their classrooms. The contenders were shoving money anywhere they could, with some putting it into their sweatshirts and hats.

The marketing spokesperson for CU Mortgage Direct, Ryan Knudson, explained that the activity was a great idea, given what’s happened to the education system in recent years. However, while the sponsor undoubtedly intended the event to be good-hearted, some people didn’t feel that way.

A Dystopian Society?

As soon as footage of the competition began to make circles on the internet, so too did the backlash. One critic, the President of the American Federation of Teachers, Randi Weingarten, took to Twitter to express her dismay. Weingarten asserted that the competition was demeaning, noting that teachers shouldn’t have to race to grab as much money as they can in order to teach children properly. She admitted that the game was likely meant to be fun but mentioned that it didn’t feel right.

Others took to social media to bash the competition as well, indicating that the video closely resembled the hit Netflix series “Squid Game.” In the Netflix show, competitors fight to survive a series of violent games for a cash prize. Unlike “Squid Game,” no one was killed or injured during the “Dash for Cash” competition.

A Good Deed

Thankfully, some people in the world still see the bright side of things. In addition to the teachers who greatly appreciated the donations, many thought the game was a good idea. A fifth-grade teacher at Discovery Elementary, Alexandria Kuyper, called the event “cool” and stated that it was a good opportunity for the teachers to gain some extra cash to pay for items that they often end up paying for themselves.

The lesson here is that no matter what someone or something does, there will always be two sides arguing over its morality. There will always be critics, and there will always be supporters. Unfortunately, teachers often pay out of pocket to give their students the tools they need to succeed. At least there are companies and people out there willing to help them out while making it fun for teachers and audiences.

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