You know that feeling of having to laugh because otherwise you'll cry?
Well, there will never be a more reasonable response than that when it comes to signs of teacher appreciation, or lack thereof.
In TikToker Melanie Wood's school district, teachers are recognized after reaching certain milestones in their teaching, and when she reached her 10-year anniversary of teaching in her district, she was offered the chance to pick a gift from an online catalogue.
Though she wasn't exactly expecting to find a Rolls Royce or Rolex listed in the catalogue, she never could have anticipated what was actually listed for her 10-year "thank you" gift options.
Looking both baffled and a little bit haunted, Wood stated in a TikTok video:
"Today, I went shopping for the gift. And I've... I've never seen anything like this in my life, and I just feel like someone else needs to see the options that I had to choose from as a thank you for being an educator for 10 years."
She went on to say there were many more options that were equally obscure, but the video only contained some of her favorites.
Among her favorites was a replica volleyball with a handprint in a blood-red color, just like Wilson from Castaway with Tom Hanks.
Another bizarre gem was a single Yeti lid. The travel mug itself was not included, and it was not a set of spare lids. It was just a singular lid.
Finally, there was some fishing gear, including a small pack of fishing lures and a separate listing for a single Bass Pro Shops t-shirt that displayed a state other than where Wood is located, which is Missouri.
You can watch the video here:
Some viewers were mortified and absolutely furious.
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Others chose the "laugh instead of crying" approach while watching the video.
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A few people appreciated the odd yet hilarious inclusion of Wilson. You know, the perfect teacher's companion.
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This whole situation is a great example of how regrettably laughable signs of appreciation for teachers have become.
Never mind the actual teaching salaries. That's a whole other conversation.
@FrankC164/X
AMC
