Too Much Of A Good Thing?

I found this over on the wedbsite of the National Education Association:

For all the money Sara Minks spent on her students last year, she could have bought a new car. With $13,000—yes, $13,000!—Minks could have taken her own two children on an Alaskan cruise. Where did it all go? Minks, a high school dance teacher in Southern California, bought music to accompany ballet, jazz, and modern dance performances and videos of historical choreographers at work.

She installed fans and ballet barres in her classroom studio, and dressed her kids in leotards, tights, and ballet shoes. She brought them to local productions—and even flew two talented students (and their mothers) across the country to Broadway.

Minks, who is a single mom herself, knows her spending habits have been, well, extreme. But without much time to fund-raise or any willingness to cut corners, "I just do it," she says.

She hopes to rein in her philanthropy this year, but not if it costs the kids, she adds. Her students, who are experiencing performing arts for the first time, "walk taller, gain self-confidence, and never miss practice. They cling to this outlet, and I can't imagine taking that away from them."

What I find remarkable is the fact that this lady has two kids of her own (That I assume will be attending college someday.) and still spends that sum of cash on other people's children.

Is she a saint, independently wealthy, or in need of specialized help?

And where is all that money really coming from?

An Invitation: Please consider contributing to The Carnival Of Education: Week 4. All submissions should be received by 10:00 PM (Pacific) next Tuesday, March 1. They may be sent to owlshome [at] earthlink [dot] net. Get all the details here. To view the First Edition of The Carnival, click here. The Second, here, and the Third, there. The Carnival will open here at the 'Wonks Wednesday morning.

Any help that can be given by our fellow writers in the 'Sphere publicizing this carnival will be given Extra Credit by our faculty.

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