The spectacle at a South Dakota hockey match that saw teachers scrambling for dollar bills on their hands and knees, forced an apology and some cash compensation by the bank that organized the stunt.
The bank originally allotted $500 for each of the ten teachers involved, which the teachers involved intended to spend on essential school supplies. They have since also issued an additional $500 to those teachers and $500 to 21 other teachers that applied to take part in the event but were not invited to participate.
“Although our intent was to provide a positive and fun experience for teachers, we can see how it appears to be degrading and insulting towards the participating teachers and the teaching profession as a whole. We deeply regret and apologize to all teachers for any embarrassment this may have caused,” CU Mortgage Direct bank and Sioux Falls Stampede hockey team said in a joint statement.
According to the most recent report by the National Education Association, the average teacher salary in South Dakota is $48,984 – the lowest in the country.
Onlookers in the state and online were outraged when teachers were seen fighting in helmets and padded protective gear over $1 bills in an attempt to provide basic resources for their classrooms. The video of the event, posted on Twitter, has been viewed over 19m times since Tuesday.
The state’s teachers’ union, South Dakota Education Association, issued a statement condemning the Dash for Cash event and the state’s commitment to educators:
“While the Dash for the Cash may have been well-intentioned, it only underscores the fact that educators don’t have the resources necessary to meet the needs of their students. As a state, we shouldn’t be forcing teachers to crawl around on an ice rink to get the money they need to fund their classrooms. We need to do better for our educators, but, more importantly, we must do better for our students.”
The governor of South Dakota, Kristi Noem, has said previously that improved funding for schools is a priority. Local paper the Argus Leader reports that as part of her budget address to the state legislature in early December, Noem proposed a 6% increase in state aid to education funding and stated that it should go directly to teachers.
