This time of year, not everyone is full of Christmas cheer — there’s almost always a Scrooge or two in the mix.

And Good Samaritans know exactly how much damage a Scrooge can do.

Dalene Bowden, a cafeteria worker at Irving Middle School in Pocatello, Idaho, has been fired for giving a hungry child a free hot lunch worth less than two dollars.

When a 12-year-old student informed the worker on December 15 that she was hungry and didn’t have money for food, Bowden gave the girl a hot lunch — and told her supervisor she’d pay the $1.70 for it. That wasn’t good enough, however.

Bowden was immediately placed on leave after the incident. This week she received a letter from the Pocatello/Chubbuck School District stating she’d been fired from her job. The letter accused her of stealing school district property and mishandling a transaction when serving or receiving food.

“Because of the nature of your actions, the District will not be maintaining your employment in any capacity,” the letter said in part.

Bowden plans to hire an attorney over the accusation of theft from the school district.

But this story may have a happy ending yet. Thousands of people on social media have been discussing the harsh punishment of the caring cafeteria worker who simply did what any decent person would do.

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A parent from the school district, who does not know Bowden, started an online petition to rehire her. Raushelle Guzman has collected over 1,800 signatures so far and believes she can convince the school district to do what’s right.

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“I think (Bowden) did the right thing and I think we need to make sure that every child that wants lunch can have lunch,” Guzman told the Idaho State Journal.

“I love the students, and they love me, too,” Bowden wrote. “That’s probably why the girl came to me when she didn’t have any money.”

“This is just breaking my heart,” Bowden told the publication. “I broke the rules, but I offered to pay for the meal and I don’t think I deserved to lose my job over it.”

Bowden explained that the school has an $11 limit on the amount students can charge for food. If a child is over that limit, workers are supposed to take the food from the child and dump it in the trash. Yes. Throw it away.

She has never received any complaints about her work performance, though she once gave a child a cookie for free and was verbally reprimanded for it.

“I’m a breast cancer survivor, and worked for the Pocatello/Chubbuck School District 25 for the past three years,” Bowden wrote on a GoFundMe page, which she has set up to help with her legal expenses. “Last year during an assembly, I got a standing ovation from the students when my name and photo came up on the screen. I love them, and they all love me, too. That’s probably why the girl came to me when she didn’t have any money.” She added: “I got fired for having a heart. Please help me fight back.”

District School Board member Jacob Gertsch declined to comment on the case, calling it a personnel matter. The Idaho State Journal said administrators could not be reached.

Clearly there is a bigger issue in this school district than lunch for a hungry child. One hopes a Christmas miracle is in the works for the district — and that Bowden returns to her job soon.