Give the man his boots back!!
Donation protected
Scrolling through Facebook over the last few days you may have seen a completely heartwarming article about a student at Attleboro High School (Attleboro, MA) raising money to be able to afford and donate a pair of 100$ nice quality boots to the school's long time custodian. However, unfortunately today I came across this article with the headline "Attleboro custodian donates boots given to him by students after questions raised" (read article:
https://www.thesunchronicle.com/news/local_news/attleboro-custodian-donates-boots-given-to-him-by-students-after/article_9be77a1c-2541-5138-8eb5-f50fd72b8700.html?utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook&utm_campaign=user-share)
To sum it up it says:
"The boots, which cost $100, had been given to Coelho by a group of students led by high school senior Jack Sweeney, who said he admires Coelho for his positive attitude and the work he does for AHS.
Sweeney and fellow students donated the cash to buy the pair of Timberland boots.
The rule that sparked the hullabaloo was apparently one that prohibits giving gifts worth more than $50 to public employees. The gift was questioned on the Everything Attleboro website"
However, the school district remains behind the decision saying:
"Sawyer said the rule does not apply to Coelho because the students were not in a position to get any kind of favorable treatment from him.
“There are rules about gifts to public employees under the state’s ethics statute, but they don’t pertain to this situation because the students do not stand to gain a benefit from the gift,” Sawyer said in a statement emailed to The Sun Chronicle.
Runey said it would be different if the recipient was a teacher.
“teachers have to be concerned about reporting gifts of over $50 because there could be a question of students’ grades being impacted given someone’s generosity,” he said, noting that the school department does not view the gift as a violation of any rule. “Mr. Coelho does not have to disclose this gift. We are respecting Mr. Coelho’s wishes to donate the boots.”
HOWEVER, BECAUSE OF A TOXIC UPROAR ON FACEBOOK, THE HAPPINESS WAS TAKEN AWAY FROM EVERYONE INVOLVED IN THIS GOOD DEED!!
If 100 people are as bummed and disgusted as I am and donate 1$ each, we can give the man his boots back!!!! If technically students can't do it... Why not us??? Any money raised over the 100$ will be donated to get kids school supplies!!!
https://www.thesunchronicle.com/news/local_news/attleboro-custodian-donates-boots-given-to-him-by-students-after/article_9be77a1c-2541-5138-8eb5-f50fd72b8700.html?utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook&utm_campaign=user-share)
To sum it up it says:
"The boots, which cost $100, had been given to Coelho by a group of students led by high school senior Jack Sweeney, who said he admires Coelho for his positive attitude and the work he does for AHS.
Sweeney and fellow students donated the cash to buy the pair of Timberland boots.
The rule that sparked the hullabaloo was apparently one that prohibits giving gifts worth more than $50 to public employees. The gift was questioned on the Everything Attleboro website"
However, the school district remains behind the decision saying:
"Sawyer said the rule does not apply to Coelho because the students were not in a position to get any kind of favorable treatment from him.
“There are rules about gifts to public employees under the state’s ethics statute, but they don’t pertain to this situation because the students do not stand to gain a benefit from the gift,” Sawyer said in a statement emailed to The Sun Chronicle.
Runey said it would be different if the recipient was a teacher.
“teachers have to be concerned about reporting gifts of over $50 because there could be a question of students’ grades being impacted given someone’s generosity,” he said, noting that the school department does not view the gift as a violation of any rule. “Mr. Coelho does not have to disclose this gift. We are respecting Mr. Coelho’s wishes to donate the boots.”
HOWEVER, BECAUSE OF A TOXIC UPROAR ON FACEBOOK, THE HAPPINESS WAS TAKEN AWAY FROM EVERYONE INVOLVED IN THIS GOOD DEED!!
If 100 people are as bummed and disgusted as I am and donate 1$ each, we can give the man his boots back!!!! If technically students can't do it... Why not us??? Any money raised over the 100$ will be donated to get kids school supplies!!!
Organizer
Rachael Lentz
Organizer
Attleboro, MA
