An elementary school cafeteria worker in Alabama was fired after accepting a donation for the school’s lunch program and later lying about it to the principal.
Avette Dunn, who worked at Shelby Elementary School for nearly 10 years, was terminated by the school board after an investigation into the incident. The decision came following a six-hour hearing on February 24, 2025.
According to reports, Dunn accepted a donation meant for the school’s Parent-Teacher Organization (PTO) fund to help pay for student lunches. However, the school claimed that handling donations was not part of her job, as she had not been trained to manage financial transactions.
The issue came to light when Principal Stacy Aderholt publicly questioned Dunn about the donation in front of other cafeteria staff. Feeling pressured, Dunn lied to the principal because she was afraid to admit she had accepted the money. She later explained that she wanted to protect the donor’s identity and did not think she had done anything wrong.
Before her termination, Dunn had been suspended since October. Her legal team argued that her job description did not clearly state that she couldn’t collect donations. They also pointed out that she had only spoken with the donor because the person reached out to her first.
Dunn explained that she was aware of the school’s lunch fund running low. She knew that if the balance dropped below $200, the money could no longer be used to help students pay for meals. Her intention, she said, was simply to support the students.
Despite her reasoning, the school board ruled that lying about the donation was a serious issue. Principal Aderholt stated that trust is crucial for employees handling student meal funds, and lying about money-related matters could not be ignored.
Dunn’s lawyers emphasized that the donation was properly placed into the fund and not misused. They also pointed to her strong employment record, arguing that termination was too severe of a punishment.
Dunn, who has children attending the school, pleaded for a second chance. She believed a suspension would have been a fairer consequence rather than losing her job completely.
“I made a mistake, but I don’t think I should be fired just for not telling,” Dunn said during the hearing.
Despite her plea, the school board upheld its decision, ending her nearly decade-long career in the district.
