School Forces Teachers to Work At McDonald’s to Raise Money for the School: 'What a respected profession.'

While I understand why teachers participating in a volunteer event for the school can incentivize kids and their families to attend, I also understand why teachers would find this particular event to be degrading. If you were a certain age or in a certain socioeconomic class as a child, you were told again and again that if you didn't go to college, you'd end up flipping burgers. If you were a kid post-2008, it's more likely that you were told that if you didn't major in the "right thing," you were going to end up flipping burgers. If you're a kid in 2026, you might be told that going to college isn't necessary, because people who got the "right" majors in STEM are still struggling to get any jobs, let alone a job in their field. While it can be cruel and classist to scare your child into doing something to keep them from becoming a fast-food worker, everyone who has worked in fast food knows it isn't a sustainable career. You work so hard, hurt your body from being on your feet all day, and you get paid next to nothing. Some jobs require you to wear down your body, like trades, but they pay much more and often have unions that protect workers. If you work at McDonald's, the chanc…

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