From The Trussville Tribune staff reports
HENRY COUNTY, Ga. — A 12-year-old student from Atlanta has been suspended after his school alleged he used a counterfeit $20 bill to pay for lunch, according to WBRC.
WBRC reported that Christian Philon was given the bill from his father, Earvin, who had received the bill as change from a fast food restaurant.
Philon used the bill to pay for a school lunch, however when the lunch lady attempted to verify the bill with a counterfeit pen, the process indicated that the money was fake.
“I’ve never handled counterfeit money, I don’t know what it looks like,” said Earvin.
“I was confused on how the money was counterfeit, and how my parents received it,” Philon said.
Philon is an honor roll student with straight As. After the incident, he was sent to the assistant principal’s office where he was placed on suspension, according to WBRC.
“They said ‘you possessed it so you’re going to have to pay for it,’” Philon said.
Philon’s parents filed a police report about having inadvertently received the phony money and hoped that the action would resolve matters for their son. According to WBRC, it did not.
A disciplinary hearing was convened on Wednesday and it was decided that despite circumstances, Philon would be suspended from school for ten days, according to WBRC.
“The whole process has been unfair,” Philon said.