"Squid Game, South Dakota": Dash for Cash event slammed for making teachers scramble for $1 bills in viral video

Twitter users were mortified after seeing a “Dash for Cash” event held in South Dakota. A total of ten teachers were put in a pit to collect as much money as they could in under five minutes. The “dystopic” event was held to gather funds for needed school and classroom improvements.

Dash for Cash took place on December 11, during a Sioux Falls Stampede junior ice hockey match. A total of $5000 in cash was donated by a local Sioux Falls mortgage lender, CU Mortgage Direct.

One of the event’s videos going viral online showcased teachers crawling across a mat and stuffing their clothes with as much cash as they could.

Harrisburg High School teacher grabs $616 in Dash for Cash event

A business development and marketing director for CU Mortgage Direct stated that they “thought it was an awesome group thing to do for the teachers,” after everything academic facilitators went through “for the last couple of years.” He continued:

A Harrisburg High School teacher, Barry Longden, managed to grab $616, the highest amount. He told Sioux Falls Argus Leader that he plans to buy equipment for an esports club.

Twitter buzzes with outrage

Though the competition seems to be held with good intentions, many compared Dash for Cash to Netflix’s popular series Squid Game. Those in debt compete in eccentric children’s games for the highest cash prize in the show.

Many stated that the “dehumanizing” Dash for Cash event portrayed a “capitalistic hellhole.”

CU Mortgage Direct did not respond to the backlash the event has received at the time of writing this article.

About the author

Karishma is a trending writer at SK POP. With a BA in Journalism, Psychology and Literature, Karishma, who has closely followed the latest internet trends from a young age, found her role at SK POP to be the perfect fit for her professional qualifications and personal interests.

She has nearly 3 years of experience in the industry and has interned with The Hindu and Deccan Herald. In her role at Sportskeeda, Karishma covers a range of topics at the pop division, but she believes her skills as a journalist are best reflected while creating impactful and research-intensive stories. For her, no other step in the writing process is as crucial as fact-checking with multiple sources and accurately conveying facts and data.

Karishma holds deep admiration for artists Luke Jerram and Yoshitomo Nara's authenticity and originality, who are her favorite icons. When not ideating her next story, Karishma can be seen deeply engrossed in a book.

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