Dalene Bowden says she was fired for “theft” from Irving Middle School in Idaho after she fed a hungry 12-year-old who couldn't afford lunch:
Last Tuesday, Bowden was working as a server when a 12-year-old girl told her she didn't have any lunch money and was hungry.
"So, I handed her the food and said, 'Here. We'll take care of it in a minute,'" she said.
Bowden's supervisor saw what happened and reported her.
"He said I was on permanent leave until he called me. I should not call them. He will call me. And they never called me. I got the letter," Bowden said.
The letter was signed and written by the school district director of human resources. In that letter, Bowden was terminated for "theft."
She offered to pay the $1.70 to reimburse the school for the meal, but her offer was rejected. In a television interview, Bowden is clearly distraught, saying she loved her job. Still, she do it again:
Bowden says, "My heart hurts. I truly loved my job, and I can't say that I wouldn't do it again."
Needless to say, local residents are not happy and want her to get her job back:
Through social media Bowden has rallied quite a number of supporters. She tells KPVI parents of Irving Middle School students want her back, but Dean Molder says there’s a bigger problem here, "If a kid cannot pay for a meal, or a parent cannot pay for a meal and a person is punished for feeding that kid. Somebody's got it wrong. Something is not right."
Not right, indeed. Let’s hope Dalene will be back on the job when school resumes after the winter break.