Facing budget cuts and student-siphoning charter schools, it’s tough to blame a school district for accepting donations from anyone who’s offering. But even in this desperate climate for public education, a Florida elementary school turned heads by accepting $20,000 in donations over the last two years from a strip club owner.

The South Florida Sun-Sentinel reports the district is considering returning the gift due to its source.

Says the owner: “I’ve been doing this for years and I always do it quietly. Now, for some reason they want to make a big deal out of it.”

A representative from the Christian Family Coalition, for one, isn’t cool with schools accepting money from strip club owners:

“It came from someone associated with the exploitation of women — and that demeans half the population,” he said. “If you do that, where do you draw the line? That’s not the message to send to kids — that it’s OK to exploit women.”

Do you think the school should keep the money? From what sorts of businesses do you think schools should deny financial assistance?

Strip club owner’s gift to school stirs controversy [South Florida Sun-Sentinel via Fark]

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