Edison schools won't let teacher have GoFundMe

If you're a teacher, sometimes you take money out of your own pocket to get your students things that the school for whatever reason, won't provide.

You may also find yourself giving a few bucks to a student who maybe hasn't eaten that day. It's what you do. Your reward comes from the appreciation, gratitude and maybe even love that you are shown from not only your students but their parents as well.

In Edison, that appreciation came in the form of a GoFundMe page that raised about $4,000 to help a teacher named William Martinak who has gone through some very tough times, according to an NJ.com report. The John P. Stevens social studies teacher had to be carted out of school with a heart problem, and on top of that his basement was destroyed by a sewer line backup which is costing him $10,000.

Students from three schools pitched in to raise the money, and now the Edison Board of Education will not allow him to accept it citing "conflict of interest," which I think is ridiculous. Part of their problem comes from the fear it may embarrass pupils who can't give as much — which, again, I find ridiculous.

When you contribute to GoFundMe, no one has to know what if anything you are giving, so that makes that point moot. Where my sons go to school and I'm sure where yours go to there are various "teacher appreciation days" where the students will decorate their teachers' doors or contribute for gifts. This also usually happens around the end of the school year. Why is that any different than helping a beloved teacher who is having financial problems deal with them?

What's great here is that students from three schools had so much respect and appreciation for William Martinak that they took it upon themselves to raise the money. Talk about your teaching moments.

To not let Martinak accept it is down right wrong. I say if the Edison Board of Education doesn't allow this teacher to accept the gofuneme money raised from the students, they should go "fund" themselves, or anything else that you can think of that begins with the letter F.

Edison schools won’t let teacher have GoFundMe — It’s just wrong (Opinion)