At a hockey game in South Dakota, teachers competed for cash: NPR

School teachers grabbed dollar bills for “cash” during recess at a hockey game in South Dakota, sparking controversy over turning the need to pay for classroom supplies of teachers into a public spectacle.

“As a teacher, I find this humiliating.” one commenter wrote after the video of the event was posted to Twitter. “Scrambled with others on the ground for just a few $1 bills? How about honoring teachers with a genuine contribution rather than turning us into silly entertainment for fans ?”

The Sioux Falls Stampede hockey team urged fans not to miss Saturday’s contest, which they promote as “Dash for Cash.” With cheers from fans, 10 teachers from local schools gathered around a large carpet in the center of the ice, where $5,000 in one-dollar bills had just been poured.

This event highlights South Dakota’s low teacher pay

Educators wear helmets for hockey, but they have little contact with each other as they stoop to pick up money and stuff it into their shirts and pockets.

Video of the event went viral over the weekend, after reporter Annie Todd of Sioux Falls leader Argus posted it on Twitter.

The hockey team did not immediately respond to a request for comment from NPR.

South Dakota is at the bottom of the list for education spending. The median salary for teachers in the state is $48,984 – 50th in the US (on a list that includes Washington, DC) – according to National Education Association unions, said the state spends $10,805 per student – ranking 38th nationally.

A reviewer of dash for cash promotion it’s called “dystopian”, note that while schools and teachers struggle, the US House of Representatives just passed a new US military bill worth $768 billion. The defense authorization bill includes money for two more destroyers than required by the Biden administration.

Teachers go for money, not each other

Stampede, a grassroots soccer team with players aged 16 to 20, says all the money teachers can get will be used for their own classes or curriculum.

For teachers participating in the promotion, it may come as no surprise that they’ve embraced the buzz, while focusing on what they can do for their students. When the dash ended, they smiled and waved to the crowd, their shirts puffed with cash.

“I think it’s great that the community offers an opportunity like this” to pay for things that would normally be out of the teacher’s pocket, said Alexandria Kuyper, who teaches fifth graders. Interview with Leader Argus.

Kuyper walked away with $592, one of the highest totals, according to the paper. The smallest purchases are just under $380. Contest money was raised by home loan company CU Mortgage Direct.

The sponsor said it sees the dash as a way to help educators, noting the additional stress caused by the pandemic.

“Teachers in this field and any teacher, they deserve whatever they get,” says Ryan Knudson, director of marketing and business development for CU Mortgage Direct. Leader of Argus.

Stampede also forked out $5,000 for Sunday’s home game, pitting two fans against each other in an ice penalty shootout.

South Dakota is looking to raise teachers’ salaries

Last week, Governor Kristi Noem proposed 6% increase in state aid to public education, a move State teachers union welcome.

The money will go directly to teachers and staff, Noem said, citing the challenges and demands of competition in the tight recruitment market. But the Education Association of South Dakota also take notes that if state legislators approve the increase in their upcoming session, it will still be up to school districts to choose where and how the additional funds will be used.

South Dakota’s public school system receives nearly 14% of its revenue from the federal government – one of the highest percentages in the nation, according to US Census.