Teacher reveals the 'gift' she got for 10 years of hardwork — it shows how broken our system really is

In the vast pool of professional endeavors, teachers or educators are often filled with moments of gratitude and satisfaction. While it may not turn them into millionaires, a teacher’s life is rich in heartfelt memories and cherished rewards. Not the kind of reward one might expect, though. Melanie Wood (@melanie_in_the_library), a teacher working in the school district of Missouri, was taken aback by the gifts presented to her in honor of a decade of service. When she went shopping for the gift, she could not believe her eyes as she browsed through the absurd list of items offered. Wood did not hold back in a brutal rant on TikTok about the school district’s meager gestures to acknowledge her 10 years of hard work.

In a casual tone, Wood explained how her school district rewarded professionals for completing several years of service. While a thoughtful idea, she provided a reality check as to what the district offered, drawing from personal experience. “Last spring, I hit 10 years in this district, so I got to choose a gift, and today I went shopping for the gift. I have never seen anything like this in my life,” the teacher hinted. Hence, she wanted to share the options she was allowed to choose from with the internet. To start with, Wood revealed that a Wilson volleyball topped the list. “Not the weirdest thing, I promise,” she quipped, before moving onto a single Yeti lid. Following that, a questionable picture of some “rustic curtains” in drab floral patterns. The list only got weirder, as promised. 

“You can take some photos with one disposable camera. Thanks for 10 years,” Wood mocked. Next up, a dozen fishing lures and a gas can for what she imagined could “motor” her fishing boat up. A blue carpet with marine patterns and a Bass Pro Idaho T-shirt were some of the last items on the startling list. Wood did not miss out on clarifying that these items were not potentially relevant to what was popular in her state. “You’re probably like, ‘Oh my gosh. You must be like right next to Bass Pro headquarters–we’re not. You must be a fishing community– we’re not,” Wood sneered. She then revealed that her school district was located in the suburbs of Missouri and that the items had no ties or relevance to the place whatsoever.

Not to sound cynical, the schoolteacher expressed her appreciation and regard for her district, but called them out for the “most unhinged” list of gifts ever seen. “10 years down! Can’t wait to see the options at 20!” Wood captioned the video, attracting more than 155,000 likes on the platform. Echoing her sentiments, several people were baffled by the ordeal and penned a mix of insights.

“Can’t believe the Wilson volleyball is actually the best option,” wrote a person (@jamierh) while another internet user (@horse.lover.515) said, “Insulting. Worse than giving teachers nothing.” Someone else (@melis1700) mentioned, “Good lord! I give better gifts than that for my kids' teachers a couple of times a year! I'm sorry for this- unacceptable.” A viewer (@earth_to_haley) joked, “Bold of them to assume you can afford a boat on a teacher’s salary too.”

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