Bus driver Johnny Cook was loved by the students of Haralson County, Georgia.
One day back in 2013, as the students were piling on, a young boy stopped to talk to him.
The student told “Mr. Johnny” that he hadn’t eat lunch and he was hungry. When Mr. Johnny asked why, the student explained that he didn’t have 40 cents on his card to buy a lunch.
Though the conversation was brief, Cook was deeply troubled by what the boy told him. At home that night, he couldn’t stop thinking about the boy’s story. That’s when he took to Facebook to tell the world how he was feeling.
[rsnippet id=”4″ name=”DFP/34009881/Article_1″][rsnippet name=”universal-likebox” multi-site=”true”]
A middle schooler got on my bus this evening and said mr johnny im hungry. I said why are you hungry buddy? Didn’t you eat lunch ? He said no sir I didn’t have any money on my account. I said they wouldn’t let you charge it? No sir.
ADVERTISEMENT Huh! What! This child is already on reduced lunch and we can’t let him eat. Are you kidding me? I’m certain there was leftover food thrown away today. But kids were turned away because they didn’t have .40 on there account.
As a tax payer, I would much rather feed a child than throw it away. I would rather feed a child than to give food stamps to a crack head.
ADVERTISEMENT
[rsnippet id=”5″ name=”DFP/34009881/Article_2″]
He even posted his personal phone number, saying that he would pay for any child who needed a lunch.
The post went viral, accumulating over 180,000 shares on Facebook. But the school was less than thrilled.
The next day, Cook was called into the superintendent’s office and given an ultimatum: either take down the Facebook post or lose his job.
Johnny chose to walk.
[rsnippet id=”6″ name=”DFP/34009881/Article_3″]
Despite the outcry of the community, the school held to their decision, citing a strict Facebook policy.
Even after losing his job, Mr. Johnny says he does not regret his decision to keep the post up.
”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,” Cook said. “And maybe I was able to make a change, in some way, cause a little change.”
What do you think of the school’s decision to fire this compassionate bus driver?
Hear the story from Mr. Johnny himself in the video below!
Comment below with your thoughts and SHARE this story with your friends!
Like us on Facebook for more stories like this one!