Haralson County, GA – A school bus driver fired for a Facebook post he refused to take back has become a social hero by our standards.
Johnny Cook lost his job after he posted a rant to Facebook about a middle-school student who was short 40 cents on his pre-paid lunch card, and subsequently went hungry that day.
“This child is already on reduced lunch and we can’t let him eat. Are you kidding me?” Cook posted, also putting up his phone number and offering to cover the costs for the next kid who is a bit short on his lunch card. Roughly 200 people liked the post, at first, but it caught the attention of the superintendent after going viral with 155,000 shares.
The next day he was given an option: Recant and apologize, or be fired. Cook chose the latter.
School officials cited surveillance footage which hey say proves the student never even went through the lunch line. Still, Cook said that he believed the student who approached him.
“I felt like in my heart of hearts the kid was telling the truth. Whether he was or whether he wasn’t, I believed him. So I was not going to recant the story,” Cook said.
CBS Atlanta spoke to the child’s family, and they confirmed Cook’s version of the story.
For his part, Cook says that he doesn’t regret the Facebook post.
“I’m proud of the reaction and I’m proud I was able to make a stand when some people may not be able to. And maybe I was able to make a change, in some way, cause a little change,” Cook said.
There is currently an online petition going to get Cook his job back, which you can see here. In his abundant free time, Cook has elected to start a Facebook initiative called Johnny’s Kids, dedicated to the issue. You can check that out here.
What do you think? Does Johnny Cook, the school bus driver fired for a Facebook post, deserve to get his job back? Sound off! If you ask me, there are much worse things you could lose your job over.
Love stories like this! There are much worse things you can lose your job over. The school district needs to relax!
I am so happy that he stuck to what he believes and did not take back what he posted, there is a reason it got shared so many times, and I am happy for that.
Absolutely he deserves his job back!
There is no way that this should have led to him being fired. I wouldn't have taken it back either – why should he? Regardless of whether it actually happened, a child going hungry over less than a dollar is absurd.
This happened to me at Pickard Joseph Elementary school, Cermak & Oakley, Chicago Il. The teacher was Ms Williams. She was my 1st grade teacher. Protocol was to pay either 25 cents a day, or 100 week for a cold sandwich, milk, and a cheap dessert. The School system was out of order & I paid on Monday 25 cents, but I was a child & thought it was for the whole week. I was proud to be eating with the other kids at lunch time. Tuesday came along & I took another ticket, on that note it left another kid without a ticket. The point here is how evil can people get, even with little children. Ms Williams came down with Steve the other kid & she figured I was the culprit that "stole", yeah "stole" the ticket. She trashed talked me & picked me up by my arm shook me for a couple of minutes & demeand me in front of the whole lunch room, kids & staff. She opened the back doors & threw me out. She actually hurt me physically & mentally! I was so embaressed & felt like I was being ostracized! I cried all the way home & My sister Mago, consoled me & loved me for the little time she was with me. I love my sister. I forgave Ms Williams but could never trust her again, ever! It was a hard 1st grade year for me. When ever I knew an answer & raised my and to answer the question, she would bypass me & ask someone else. She was a very cruel teacher to me. I always wondered why……..It didn't matter that she was African American cause I had a similair traumatic experience with a caucasioni teacher. It was not about race but about hate, people can just be hateful & use their powers to abuse others.
circa 1973< I was 6 years old.