Bowden told the Idaho State Journal she was placed on unpaid “termination leave” by her supervisor at the Pocatello/Chubbuck School District 25 for giving away a lunch to a hungry 12-year-old at Irving Middle School who didn’t have money to cover the meal.
“I love my job, I really do,” Bowden said.
“This just breaks my heart, and I was in the wrong, but what do you do when the kids tells you that they’re hungry and they don’t have any money? I handed her the tray.”District officials wouldn’t discuss Bowden’s predicament, but told the media students can charge up to $11 on their lunch account before their parents are notified, Boise Weekly reports.
Superintendent Douglas Howell told the Idaho State Journal local schools never “deny students a lunch,” but rather give those without money a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and milk.
“They try to do it privately and discreetly,” district spokesman Shelley Allen said.
Bowden alleges that’s not exactly accurate.
“If the kids can’t pay, and they’re over their limit, the workers take their tray away and dump it right there in the line,” she said, countering that the lunch she gave away did not come at the expense of other students.
...“I admit it – I screwed up and I gave her lunch,” she said. “I offered to pay for the meal, but it didn’t matter.”"
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