July 17, 2025
Knowledge from Nea As we speak revealed 90% of academics spend their very own cash on faculty provides.
A light-weight is being shone on the frequent observe of educators and employees having to make use of private funds to assist the varsity 12 months after ex-NFL quarterback Teddy Bridgewater was suspended from his soccer teaching place for allegedly offering his gamers with financial assets.
A July 7 Fb put up revealed receipts from all of the bills Bridgewater incurred throughout the 2024 Miami Northwestern Excessive College soccer season, which resulted in a Class 3A state championship, totaling 1000’s of {dollars} spent on requirements, together with Uber rides to and from observe. With an in depth abstract of bills, together with meals at $1,500 per week and $14,000 to run a coaching camp, the alum and coach of the Bulls requested for donations.
“As we speak I’m coming to you on behalf of the soccer crew and looking for donations to help our boys this season and to assist me carry the load so I not should take from my private funds to maintain smiles on these younger males’s faces and remind them that they matter,” he wrote.
“Final 12 months, it price me $9,500 to buy delight units for the gamers to allow them to appear like a crew. Additionally, final 12 months it price me $300 per week to maintain the sphere painted with strains and numbers so our gamers may know find out how to line up and execute. Final 12 months, it additionally price me $ 1,300 per week to have restoration vehicles come and repair the gamers the day earlier than video games. Throughout the season, every week it prices me $2,200 to feed the crew a pre-game meal. Every week, I spend round $700 on Uber fares.”
Now, with the previous Minnesota Vikings quarterback on the brink of termination for his gracious spirit, advocates are questioning the varsity’s strikes, because it’s frequent for educators and employees to should dig into their very own pockets for provides.
Knowledge from Nea As we speak revealed 90% of academics spend their very own cash on faculty provides. Individuals like Karen Allen, who shared her grievances concerning the Bridgewater story with the editor of The Courier-Journal, mentioned that if the previous participant is in violation, then there are numerous others as effectively. “First, let me say that if Teddy Bridgewater will get suspended for utilizing his personal cash to assist highschool college students (not recruiting violations, and so on.), then each faculty trainer in all the nation must be suspended,” Allen wrote.
“My daughter has been a trainer for greater than 15 years, and he or she has purchased faculty provides, sneakers, T-shirts, pajamas (for pajama day), paid for area journey charges and provides, realizing that the varsity couldn’t reimburse her. And I do know her trainer associates all should do it! So, what’s occurring to Teddy Bridgewater is totally ridiculous!”
Along with highlighting the dearth of assets offered by faculty programs, the ordeal additionally touches on the totally different penalties that former athletes face for allegedly doing unsuitable, contingent on their race. Whereas Bridgewater, who’s Black, was reprimanded for giving to his college students, Minnesota Vikings greats like Brett Favre obtained a slap on the wrist after being caught up in a 2020 Mississippi welfare scandal.
A state audit revealed that just about $77 million from a program serving to low-income households was misused, together with the Corridor of Famer being paid $1.1 million for talking occasions that he by no means attended. Favre was additionally accused of working with state officers to redirect $5 million of the funds to have a volleyball stadium constructed at his alma mater, the College of Southern Mississippi, the place his daughter additionally performed the game.
Favre was by no means arrested or held accountable for his actions; nonetheless, he was pressured to return the $1.1 million he claimed for unattended talking engagements.
Regardless of the backlash, Bridgewater is keen to do what it takes to see his crew thrive. “The suspension got here from MNW, and it’s not possible to droop somebody who doesn’t be just right for you. So if I’m suspended from MNW, I’m free to go to a different faculty of my alternative, however I’m NOT GOING ANYWHERE,” the quarterback wrote.
“And if it comes all the way down to it, I’ll volunteer from the bleachers like I used to in 2018 and 2019 when nobody had an issue.”
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