After its Fourth of July barbecue an Indiana manager of a Dillard’s department store instructed employees to store the unused hot dogs in the company freezer and save them for the Labor Day bash.

Nolan Koewler either didn’t hear the instructions or really wanted some hot dogs because he ate two of them. And because of that he was fired. Inc.com reports:

The Little Rock-based chain fired Nolan Koewler of Evansville, Indiana, last July for stealing two hot dogs left over from his store’s holiday cookout.  Mike Marz, the Dillard’s dock manager who’d bought the food on a company credit card, ordered that the leftovers be stored in the break room freezer until Labor Day. But Koewler claimed he never heard those instructions—or, in legalese, “rescission of this offer of celebratory food”—and the day after the party, took and ate two hot dogs. Marz reviewed security camera footage, which caught Koewler, and so Marz took the issue to the store manager.  With surveillance video proof of Koewler’s so-called theft, the manager summoned the police.

He summoned the police??? Over TWO HOT DOGS? Harsh – like maybe we’ve got a manager with a god complex who loves reminding everyone who’s boss…over the hot dogs – harsh. In foolishness fairness, the manager did offer Koewler two options – either sign a statement admitting he stole the hot dogs or spend the night in jail. Koewler refused to sign and apparently that’s when the cops were called.

It gets even more interesting. And stupid.

Koewler applied for unemployment benefits (which I didn’t think you could do if you’d been fired) and Dillard’s denied his claim.

Koewler appealed and an Indiana unemployment claims deputy sided with him, determining he had not been discharged for just cause.

Dillard’s appealed and the decision was reversed.

Koewler appealed that decision and the frank-burglar case went all the way to Indiana’s Court of Appeals which found no evidence that Koewler ever heard the “hands off the hot dogs” instructions and that Dillard’s was unjustified in firing him.

Koewler can now receive unemployment benefits. He will never eat another hot dog as long as he lives.

Side note: How embarrassed would you be to admit you’d been fired for eating hot dogs?

Read the full story here.

While turmoil brews over what’s being called the nations largest cheating scandal, former Atlanta Public School (APS) Superintendent is on vacation. In Hawaii. (Image: Hall in Hawaii being asked for an interview by local Atlanta Anchorwoman Monica Pearson)

The investigation into Atlanta Public Schools revealed that 178 educators in 44 schools cheated on standardized tests used to meet federal benchmarks. The investigation found that the cheating dated as far back as 2001. Educators told state investigators they were pressured to improve test scores – not surprising in a system where rewards and bonuses are based on test scores.

In 2009 Hall reportedly earned more than $400,000 in salary, bonuses and other benefits, including a car. In fact, her bonus for 2009 was $78,115.  (Source). But the problems may not have started with Hall. Maureen Downey of AJC’s Get Schooled blog points out that as far back as 10 years ago APS scores seemed “too good to be true.”

The educators named in the most recent scandal were either involved with erasing wrong answers or should have known that the corrections were taking place.  As former APS superintendent, Beverly Hall, at the least, falls in the “should have known” category.  CNN reports:

The state’s report indicated there was a climate of cheating and performance-at-all-costs during the tenure of former Superintendent Beverly Hall. It’s a charge Hall has denied. “We reaffirm Dr. Hall’s position that she most definitely did not know of any widespread cheating on the CRCT (Criterion-Referenced Competency Tests) in 2009 or any other year,” she said in a statement released through her attorney. (CNN)

In an ironic twist, Hall was named the 2009 Superintendent of The Year by the American Association of School Administrators.  It would seem fitting that even if Hall continues to tow the unbelievable “I wasn’t aware” line that at a minimum she should shoulder some responsibility for being at the helm of what is now a historical miscarriage of justice perpetrated against Atlanta school children and their parents.  Instead, she’s in Hawaii.

To read more about the APS scandal, click here.