These teachers were told to scramble for $1 bills. Here’s what happened next

A hockey promotion event in South Dakota that called on teachers to scramble for dollar bills on their hands and feet recently drew negative attention on social media.

In the Dash for Cash game on Dec. 11, teachers put on helmets and scrambled to collect dollar bills in the middle of an ice rink, according to The Guardian.

The event, organized by the Sioux Falls hockey team and local lender CU Mortgage Bank, was meant as a way to help teachers fund their classrooms. According to Argus Leader, each teacher collected between $300 to $600.

But the game was demeaning, said Twitter users.

• “Teachers, on their hands and knees, grabbing for $1 bills to buy classroom supplies, for the amusement of a crowd,” one user wrote. “Yeah, totally uplifting and fun, not at all totally dystopian.”

• “As a teacher, I find this humiliating. Scrambling against others on the ground for a few $1 bills? How about honoring teachers with genuine donations rather than turning us into silly entertainment for fans?” wrote another user.

The bank, which allotted $500 for each of the 10 teachers, has issued an additional $500 to those teachers who participated in the event and 21 others who weren’t 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 the Sioux Falls Stampede hockey team said in a joint statement, per The Guardian.

According to the Miami Herald, teachers in South Dakota earn an average of $48,984 annually, which is 50th in the nation.