Comedian Stephen Colbert announced Thursday that he would fund every existing grant request South Carolina public school teachers have made on the education crowdfunding website DonorsChoose.org....This story comes from a newspaper in Greenville, South Carolina. Here are some of the local projects being funded:
Colbert partnered with Share Fair Nation and ScanSource to fund nearly 1,000 projects for more than 800 teachers at over 375 schools, totaling $800,000....
This is what teachers in Greenville have asked for help with on donorschoose.orgIs this a heartwarming story? Yeah, I guess -- but to me it's heartbreaking that teachers in the richest country on earth have to beg for balls to use at recess or therapeutic equipment for special-ed kids.
... Amanda Wilson, special education - A trampoline and treadmill for sensory therapy: $504
Beth Bailey, media specialist - books that are good for girls: $408
Stacie Campbell, kindergarten - dodge balls for recess play: $165....
A few other items that will be funded:
16 new bulletin boards: $202If we had a proper sense of values in this country, we'd never want something like this to go public, even if it really was the only way the kids could get what they need. We wouldn't want it known that we weren't doing right by the next generation.
... A set of write and wipe pockets and write and wipe erasers: $179
... Classroom library books: $239
But we're just so used to this in America. We're the greatest country on earth, we always say, even though we fall short in so many ways. We're actually proud when a generous rich person such as Colbert lets us off the hook. Instead, we should be ashamed.
For the record, the population of South Carolina as of 2014 was 4,832,482. The $800,000 in projects Colbert is funding could have been funded by an extra 16 cents in taxes per South Carolina resident. Why is that too much to ask?
(Via Daily Kos.)
