A lady in charge of the school lunch has been offered her job back after being fired for giving a free lunch to a hungry student.
Through a statement, the Superintendent Howell commented that the District has been in communication with Dalene Bowden to offer back her job in the spirit of the holidays.
Bowen was dismissed from Irving Middle School on December 15, being charged with theft when the supervisor watched her giving a free lunch to a 12-year-old girl who told her she was hungry and had no money to pay for the meal.
The dismissal caused outrage and criticism from the parents and others who called for the reintegration of the woman into the work. The story became viral on social networks receiving a lot of criticism. Even an online petition titled “Do not fire A Lady style lunch” has already received about 80,000 signatures.
However, in the statement of the district, school officials discussed the version of Bowden on the events. Although the school is not allowed to comment on specific personal matters, they said that the district does not and have never taken negative employee actions against any food service employee due to a singular event of this kind which is presented through the press and various social media sites.
District leaders also noted that every meal the school provides must be accounted for under the Federal Food Service Program, and that funding is compromised when employees don’t follow cafeteria procedures.
It’s unclear whether Bowden, who hired an attorney after her firing, will accept the offer and return to her old job.
“I have to think about it. I’m afraid that they would just make my life miserable and then try to set me up, or get rid of me some other way,” Bowen said according to Idaho State journal.
Source: KTVB