Kimball told the Valley News: “I quietly said, ‘Tell (your) mom you need money'”.
Despite the boy paying the tab the next day (March 29), Kimball was fired. The food vendor explained in a letter that the district manager witnessed Kimball violating their company’s “cash handling procedures, the school’s charge policy and federal regulation governing free meals.”
Students and staff are rallying behind a Mascoma Valley Regional High School lunch lady fired for allowing a boy to run up an $8 lunch debt rather than go hungy. Bonnie Kimball thought she was doing the right thing and the parent did eventually pay. https://t.co/y65rc8oGjX pic.twitter.com/eds9teHG2m
— UnionLeader.com (@UnionLeader) May 15, 2019
Kimball had worked for the company for five years, and told Valley News that she’d been following her direct supervisor’s orders to avoid causing a scene, as the company, named Cafe Services, was vying to have its contract with the school district renewed.
She claims she’d been told by her boss to give food to students who couldn’t pay, and then tell them they needed money on their accounts.
Kimball told the Union Leader: “We weren’t supposed to pull trays.”
Two of Kimball’s former coworkers resigned in protest, and reports state that students and staff at the school are now rallying around her in support.
It’s certainly caused plenty of debate! What do you think? Was Kimball in the right or wrong? Let us know in the comments box below.
Share this article if you think Kimball should not have been fired for feeding a hungry child.