A South Dakota hockey team has apologized for pulling a "Dash for Cash" charity stunt that critics said degraded its participants. The event had ten teachers grabbing money from a pile of donated cash on the hockey rink in front of spectators.
Viral videos of the Dash for Cash charity stunt made their way on social media, where Netizens commented that it seemed like a scene straight out of the dystopian hit Netflix series "Squid Game." According to reports, one video quickly earned more than 11 million views and a lot of angry reactions from the viewers.
In the video, the teachers were down on their hands and knees as they scrambled to get as much money as they could within a time limit. Some commenters said it was "disgusting and shameful" to watch.
Reports cited that the event was meant to provide the teachers with the money to buy their classroom supplies. However, instead of simply donating the cash, the organizers set it up as entertainment in the middle of a hockey game.
JUST IN: An arena in South Dakota is holding a “Dash for Cash” where teachers get on their knees and fight for one dollar bills that they can use for classroom supplies while spectators watch and cheer. (h/t @AnnieTodd96) pic.twitter.com/jIht84Ls9W
— No Lie with Brian Tyler Cohen (@NoLieWithBTC) December 12, 2021
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Not the Publicity They Planned
The donated money came from CU Mortgage Direct, a lending company, to promote their services. The company issued a joint statement with the hockey team, Sioux Falls Stampede, and apologized to the teachers for the embarrassment.
According to the joint statement, Sioux Falls Stampede received over 31 applications from local teachers who needed funding for their classroom supplies, and ten were selected to receive the donation. The organizers said they intended to "provide a positive and fun experience for teachers," but it did not turn out to be the publicity they planned.
After the backlash, CU Mortgage Direct and the Stampede team said that they would be giving an additional $500 to the ten teachers who joined the Dash for Cash event, while the rest of the applicants who were not chosen to participate will also receive cash. Over $15,500 will go to all teachers, and the organizers said they would be willing to support the South Dakota Teachers Association for future events.
Lowest Paid Teachers in the U.S.
Data from the National Education Association revealed that South Dakota ranks as one of the lowest in the U.S. for education spending in terms of teachers' salaries and other school expenses. Loren Paul, the president of the teacher's association, said that the Dash for Cash charity event underscored their struggles in finding resources for their needs as educators.
State Sen. Reynold Nesiba said that the viral video gives Sioux Falls a "terrible image" of their treatment of educators. Republican Gov. Kristi L. Noem has introduced a bill in Congress to increase South Dakota teachers' salaries by six percent. However, Nesiba said that the proposed increase may not be enough as prices of goods in the U.S. have been rapidly rising. He urged the public to donate to teachers' initiatives that do not have government support.
