A competition pitting 10 teachers against each other to scrabble for dollar bills to purchase school supplies in a city in the US state of South Dakota is now an internet rage. The video, which has attracted analogies with the Netflix hit series Squid Game, shows teachers cramming notes down their sweaters and into hats while the audience cheers. The series showed contestants from various social backgrounds playing versions of children’s games to win money.
The venue for the competition was an ice rink and the prize was donated by a local home mortgage company. The ice rink belonged to the Sioux Falls Stampede, a hockey club in the city in the US.
The teachers are ready pic.twitter.com/sRh0EgbCCu— Annie Todd (@AnnieTodd96) December 12, 2021
According to Argus Leader, a local newspaper, the teachers planned to use the prize money to purchase flexible seating, such as standing desks or wobbling chairs, or document cameras so they could upload lessons online. If the reports are to believed each of the teachers got hundreds of dollars.
Following intense criticism, the company CU Mortage direct and the Sioux Falls Stampede issued an apology for the competition.
Critics claimed that no teacher should have to endure the humiliation that occurred at the hockey game. “Teachers on their hands and knees grubbing for $1 bills to buy classroom supplies for the amusement of a crowd @sfstampede in the middle of a pandemic. This is like something out of #SquidGames, except it’s real, and it’s here now,” wrote a user.
America, 2021: Teachers on their hands and knees grubbing for $1 bills to buy classroom supplies for the amusement of a crowd @sfstampede in the middle of a pandemic. This is like something out of #SquidGames, except it's real, and it's here now. https://t.co/I6NulzuVmN— Jason Lyall (@jaylyall_red5) December 12, 2021
This user pointed out what the whole competition demeans teachers.
This demeans teachers. They should have sat down and calmly divide all the money equally counting it out 1 bill at at a time 10 teachers no scrambling no spectacle. Working together.— Remember Bolyai (@BolyaiRemember) December 12, 2021
Sioux Falls Education Association president Tim Eckart said the event was meant to highlight the poor funding structure in schools and the troubles the teachers have to go through to ensure good quality education. “No educator should have to crawl on their hands and knees to supply proper educational tools for our students,” he added.
Squid Games is one of the most popular series on Netflix and the OTT universe in general. The South Korean series involves cash-strapped contestants who take part in a kids’ game that takes a deadly turn.
Just a few weeks ago, there were reports about a YouTuber who had created his own version of Squid Games. He spent over Rs 25 crore to set up the game which included cash prizes for the contestants.
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