'Don't tip me, tip the schools': Waitress refuses to take money from Kansas Governor who has frozen education funding 

  • Chloe Hough served Sam Brownback at Boss Hawg's in Topeka
  • She has strong views on education so scribbled a message on his $52 bill
  • Ms Hough crossed out the tip line and wrote that schools should be tipped

By ASSOCIATED PRESS and TED THORNHILL, TRAVEL EDITOR

Published: | Updated:

A waitress served up her thoughts on education to Kansas Governor Sam Brownback - by writing on his receipt that he should tip schools, not her. 

Chloe Hough, of Lawrence, was working her last shift Saturday night at Boss Hawg's in Topeka when she waited on the governor.

She later posted his receipt on Facebook, showing the line for the tip crossed out and the phrase 'Tip the schools' written beside it. 

Waitress Chloe Hough served Kansas Governor Sam Brownback at Boss Hawg's in Topeka and put a cross through the tip line, writing 'tip the schools' next to it

Waitress Chloe Hough served Kansas Governor Sam Brownback at Boss Hawg's in Topeka and put a cross through the tip line, writing 'tip the schools' next to it

Hough said education funding is important to her because her sister receives special education services and because she believes it encourages social mobility

Hough said education funding is important to her because her sister receives special education services and because she believes it encourages social mobility

Hough explained that she thought it was more important to promote education funding than to get a tip.

She declined to say how Brownback reacted to her message. 

Ms Hough stressed that she had not discussed her plans with any manager or the owner of the restaurant, where she had worked for about a year.

'It's a great restaurant and I didn't do it to hurt them,' she told the Topeka Capital-Journal.

Education funding is important to Hough because her sister receives special education services and because she believes it encourages social mobility, she said.

Hough declined to say how Governor Brownback reacted to the receipt

Hough declined to say how Governor Brownback reacted to the receipt

Hough said that her sister 'has lost... dedicated educators who've been cut due to budget cuts'

Hough said that her sister 'has lost... dedicated educators who've been cut due to budget cuts'

Her sister 'has lost so many dedicated educators who've been cut due to budget cuts,' she said. 'I think it should matter to everyone.'

Brownback signed a bill in April that dropped the state's old school funding formula and substituted it with block grant funding. 

Supporters said the block grants would provide more stable funding for schools but many school districts have reported their funding was cut and are anticipating further budget cuts in the next few years. 

At least six school districts in Kansas plan to close a few days early this May because of budget concerns. 

A call to the governor's spokeswoman on Sunday by Associated Press was not immediately returned. 

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