D25 School District holds conference on food service worker

The Pocatello-Chubbuck School District held a press conference today at 1p.m. to address the the continuation of the employment offer to food service worker Dalene Bowden.

“She had until noon yesterday (Monday) to get back to us with her answer, but she never responded. We have no choice but to move now,” said District 25 Superintendent Doug Howell.

Bowden couldn’t be reached by phone to comment.

In December, Bowden was fired from Irving Middle School after she gave a free lunch to a student. After much press coverage and a Facebook page with a signed petition from over 60,000 people to get her job back, the school district did in fact offer her job back to her.

Superintendent Howell also outlined the lunch policy at the news conference in which he says students have many options.

“Students can either use up to a negative $11 balance, pay with cash, or be given a nutritious snack by a food service supervisor,” said Howell.

He says nutritious snacks are considered to be a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, string cheese, and a granola bar served with milk. He also mentions that students can always apply for free or reduced lunch at any time throughout the school year.

“We work proactively everyday through the free or reduced lunch program, through the backpack program of Idaho Food Bank, and through hundreds of drives through our school during the school year.”