Hockey team taking criticism for having teachers compete for school supply money

Their intentions were likely in the right place, but having teachers compete for money for school supplies for their classrooms in between periods likely isn't the best look. Especially when it's done for the amusement of the audience. The Sioux Falls Stampede of the USHL staged the competition Saturday night after the first period of their game. $5000 in one dollar bills was put on a matt on the ice, with 10 teachers grabbing as much as they could before the time ran out.

Here they go! pic.twitter.com/G0MH3Y1VXU— Annie Todd (@AnnieTodd96) December 12, 2021

Almost done! pic.twitter.com/K8Rr83uzui— Annie Todd (@AnnieTodd96) December 12, 2021

Sioux Falls is located in South Dakota. Teachers salaries in the state are 49th overall in the United States. It's also been noted that close to half of the students located in this particular school district are on a free or reduced cost lunch program due to current economic conditions. The competition isn't sitting well with many.

"Teachers, on their hands and knees, grabbing for $1 bills to buy classroom supplies, for the amusement of a crowd. yeah, totally uplifting and fun not at all totally dystopian," said one Twitter user.

"This is really sick and degrading. Why is this happening?," said another. "Just pay the teachers a decent wage and give schools the necessary funding for classroom supplies."

"How many people would do this for their job? Would cooks do this to buy dishes for the place they work? Or doctors do this to buy hospital equipment? Maybe secretaries use the money to buy a copier? These teachers don't even get to keep this money. It's for their class. Very sad," pointed out one person.

Again, I do truly believe the intentions of the Sioux Falls Stampede were good and their heart was in the right place. That said, there's something about this that makes you wonder why the team just didn't donate money and/or school supplies to the teachers rather than having them get on their hands and knees and compete for it.

The highest amount of money grabbed by a teacher was $619. The lowest was $378.

Almost half the kids in this school district are on free/reduced price lunch, and the teachers are forced to degrade themselves for public entertainment just to afford school supplies. https://t.co/cGDEBjdKKW— Timothy Burke (@bubbaprog) December 12, 2021

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