POCATELLO, Idaho -- A school lunch lady in Idaho said she lost her job after she gave a free meal to a child at school last week. Dalene Bowden said she gave the meal to a middle school student who said she didn't have any money to buy lunch.
"My heart hurts. I truly loved my job, and I can't say that I wouldn't do it again," Bowden told KPVI. "Cause they're hungry. What do you do? Send them out there, so they can get it taken away and thrown away? No!"
Bowden said a supervisor saw her give food to the 12-year-old girl and reported the incident.
"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," she said.
In that letter, Bowden was terminated for "theft."
Social media has since rallied behind Bowden. She has also hired an attorney.
The school district did not respond to KPVI's request for comment.
