Elementary School Principal Sells Her Shoes To Save Her District

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Michele Miller, principal at Jackson Elementary School in Sacramento's Rescue Union school district, is selling all of her shoes.

"I need someone to adopt these things," she says. "Honestly, I'm getting a little desperate."

For 15 years Michele's shoes have had their very own bedroom in her Sacramento home. And she's selling all of them to raise money for her embattled school district, which has recently been threatened with budget cuts in the range of $1.4 to 2.2 million.

"These cuts would eliminate all librarians, bus drivers, health aides, support secretaries in specialized departments, two vice principals, and about 17 teachers overall," Michele says. "After spending about $3000 a year updating the school library the whole thing would sit dark."

The idea to sell her shoes came in an act of late night desperation. "It was about 11 o'clock and I was driving home from this board meeting wondering what I could do to bring in money in a short amount of time," she says. "So I came up with this idea."

With the help of another parent at her school, Michele created Shoes to the Rescue, a website she hopes will drum up attention her cause. The site features 350 pairs of shoes, all within the size 6 ½ - 7 ½ range. Some are classy, some are... fun. But all of them have a story.

"I've been collecting these shoes for about 15 years and they're really a major part of my life," she says.

While these aren't "high-end" shoes by any means -- Michele lives a simple life with her husband and two children, both of whom attended Rescue Union schools growing up -- each buyer will receive a hand-written "adoption certificate" explaining the story behind the pair.

"One of my favorite pairs of sandals has holograms of fish in the coral reef," Michele explains. "I bought them for a trip to Australia about eight years ago."

Another pair of boots saved her from serious injury. After a meeting, she'd jumped out of her car to retrieve some papers, not realizing she'd left the car in drive. "The car was moving along at a good gait across the parking lot with my legs dangling outside the car. I was able to stop the car with my hands, and I walked away without a scratch. The boots looked great after a little polish."

If shoes aren't your thing, you can also make a cash donation on the site through Paypal. The money will go directly to the district.

"April 12th is when the pink slips go out, so we've only got a week left," Michele says. "We'll take whatever help we can get."

In a time when school-wide budget cuts are receiving tons of press nationwide, Michele hopes her cause is personal enough to attract some attention from supporters.

"I've been working with kids for 28 years, and I've never seen cuts like this," Michele says. "I'm hoping we can do something about it."

Comments

[concernedazvoter]

10:46 PM on 05/04/2011

Okay, I'm a teacher and I like shoes but come on! I hope she regrets this little do good act of hers. She really just comes out with a bit of egg on her face.

[rdk70816]

09:58 AM on 04/13/2011

How did Michele afford a room full of shoes in the first place? It is obvious that she is an overpaid, unneeded bureaucrat.

[Mister Teacher]

08:05 PM on 04/10/2011

If my wife (also a teacher) would sell all of her shoes, we could easily pay the mortgage on our house... :)

[Michael Gacillos OHair]

01:59 PM on 04/09/2011

Isn't selling shoes to save a school district like quitting smoking to save one's lungs? Still, an interesting way to quit a disgusting habit.

[Babele]

12:04 PM on 04/09/2011

Damn. A room just for shoes. I like it.

[MiamiMama]

08:59 AM on 04/08/2011

Wow, this really shows who gets the bulk of the money for employees in a school district. And they worry about teacher pay? Well, I am sure that many teachers would be willing to sell all two to five pairs of their shoes, too, once they get them back from the shoemaker to repair the holes because they don't make enough money to go out and buy 350 pairs of shoes. If I was this lady, I would shut my mouth. However, I must say that you can tell when the parking lot is filled with administrators cars at a meeting. They have BMWs, Porches and Mercedes cars. Let's you know where the big money is headed. This country has the nerve to point a finger at teachers like they are stealing all the money from the school district. The Republican agenda is hard at work selling that story. I would like to know what this lady makes for her salary and how she was able to buy all those shoes unless she is married to a rich individual.

[martincl]

10:10 AM on 04/08/2011

Absolute vitriol nonsense. 15 years, she has 350 shoes. Thats 23 pairs of shoes a year, thats roughly 2 shoes a month, thats 1 shoe a pay period. Shoes average 10 bucks to what, 200 at most? Thats the cost of a supersized fast food meal with desert or a hard night out at the bar. To me....thats freakin reasonable.

[MiamiMama]

11:59 AM on 04/08/2011

Carrie Bradshaw from Sex in the City is the only one I know who comes close to that number. I sure don't know anyone with that many shoes.

[martincl]

10:10 AM on 04/08/2011

errr...dessert*

[Stella Moga]

08:08 AM on 04/08/2011

I am not sure if I am more shocked at the amount of shoes or the idea!

[Demidan]

04:32 PM on 04/07/2011

That's a whole lot of shoes! Good for her!

[Mike Hertz]

09:05 PM on 04/06/2011

I am amused at her "resolve" but it's a flawed plan... It is NOT duplicateable, and it serves the theory of "give a family a fish, they eat today.....
School district budgets are under constant scruitny and having a child who needed special services I would become outraged when assistants and special Ed teachers were under consideration for dismissal but athletic programs get new uniforms, Coaches are funded, gear provided etc....
If you ever want to really understand a school district FACTUAL budget... go to your local administrative office and ask for a copy, they HAVE to give you one... spend a few hours and read all the insane costs, expenses, over-runs, and projections and you will want to fire everybody in administration except the book-keeper. SERIOUSLY.... spend a day and become informed, it will wake you up BIG TIME!!!!

[canoeal]

07:56 PM on 04/06/2011

Wow 350 pairs of shoes...

[ifk]

09:22 PM on 04/07/2011

And a trip to Australia, for which she bought a pair of "platforms with holograms of fish in the coral reef." Living large, eh?

[ifk]

07:29 PM on 04/06/2011

How could an elementary school principal have afforded all those shoes -- even if "low end" -- or lived the lifestyle to need them?

[Rose Morris]

07:18 PM on 04/06/2011

If a woman is willing to part with her shoes, that's a (pardon the pun) class act!

[lmm3388]

06:36 PM on 04/06/2011

ya well if u go to the website every pair are $1,000 bucks,,,any1 else think thts a little high 4 just 1 pair of shoes?????

[ifk]

07:31 PM on 04/06/2011

That amount is way too high -- even tho' a good cause. She states they are not "high end," but even if they were, they're not worth $1,000 per pair ...

[8thplane]

08:16 PM on 04/07/2011

MY, she is desperate isn't she. What Bank account is it going in? I hope a restricted one!

[ifk]

09:00 PM on 04/07/2011

Someone who says he knows her posted that she is now living in an apartment. Could that be why she has to sell the shoes -- they do have to have a bedroom of their own ...

[brdgeubrn55]

06:05 PM on 04/06/2011

I mean yes...it's alot of shoes, but think about it. How many pairs of shoes have you gone through in over 15 years? This administrator has just basically collected hers.........and now, she's trying to get money for them to help her school because of the budget cuts. You can't fault her trying to earn money to save her school, and not wanting kids to drop out.

[ifk]

07:35 PM on 04/06/2011

It's an elementary school, so probably not a lot of drop-outs. And she had so many that her shoes had their "own bedroom." C'mon ...

[valuelines]

05:41 PM on 04/06/2011

Teachers are a dedicated bunch of people without a doubt. I have experience of that as a small business person servicing school lab equipment. I been to several schools where the science teachers have given me a personal checks to cover the cost of service and repairs when the school principles refused to have the equipment serviced for their students. Other teachers buy supplies for their kids use because the funds were cut to the bone. Yet these same schools will spend MILLIONS on a new roof even though the old one isn't leaking, and the grounds re-seeded and re-sodded and the parking lots re-surfaced with new landscaping while they short change teachers needs in the classrooms. Its a matter of value's. Some school districts and school principles don't seem to care about the kids actually being TAUGHT anything, as long as it appears that the school and its buildings are well kept . The teachers have to 'make do' with 40 year old equipment to teach science and we are then surprised when the US ranks 39th in the world in most everything. Don't blame the teachers or the unions, blame the school boards and the overpaid principles for neglecting their teachers needs and the needs of the kids.

[Meddal]

07:35 PM on 04/06/2011

vaulelines, perhaps you missed the part about her spending $3000 a year on the library, library, as in an antiquated method of knowledge.

Or district in the N. Seattle area has 7.5 students per employee.... want to run a business that way and survive?

[ifk]

07:38 PM on 04/06/2011

So this principal has been stocking up on shoes while her teachers have had to buy supplies for the kids? And her shoes have had their "own bedroom" b/c she has so many?