A long-serving cafeteria worker at Shelby Elementary School in Alabama was terminated from her position after accepting donations for the school lunch program and subsequently lying about it to the principal.
Avette Dunn, who worked in the district for nearly a decade, was fired following a six-hour hearing where the school board determined she could no longer be trusted in her role. The incident occurred in October when Dunn accepted a donation meant for the school's parent-teacher organization fund to support student lunches.
According to school officials, accepting such donations was not part of Dunn's authorized duties, as she lacked training to handle financial transactions. The situation escalated when Principal Stacy Aderholt questioned Dunn about the donation in front of other employees in the crowded cafeteria. Dunn admitted to lying during this confrontation, stating she wanted to protect the donor's identity and felt scared to acknowledge accepting the contribution.
Dunn's legal representatives argued that her job description did not explicitly prohibit collecting donations. They also noted that the donor had initiated contact with Dunn, who was aware of dwindling lunch program funds. The legal team emphasized that all donated money was properly deposited into the appropriate fund and highlighted Dunn's positive employment record.
Despite these arguments, the school board focused on the trust breach when Dunn lied to the principal. At the hearing, Dunn expressed remorse and appealed for a less severe punishment, suggesting a two-week suspension would have been more appropriate than termination.
"I made a mistake and I think I should be able to go back to my job," Dunn stated during the hearing. "I don't think I should get terminated just for not telling."
The controversial decision has drawn attention to the intersection of school lunch funding and staff protocols in handling donations. Dunn, whose own children attend Shelby Elementary, located 39 miles south of Birmingham, had been under suspension since the October incident until the board's final decision.