DONKEY: 28-Year-Old Poses As H.S. Student To Increase Friend’s Public Assistance Benefits

The Breakfast Club dedicates its 'Donkey of the Day' to 28-year-old Casey Klassen, a Bronx woman who allegedly posed as a 16-year-old high school student named Shamara Rashad at Westchester Square Academy for two weeks. The deception, uncovered when the principal spotted her real birthday on a Facebook page, was reportedly orchestrated so her friend could access increased public assistance benefits. Hosts Isaiah Thomas and CJ Toledano dissect the bizarre story with a mix of humor and sharp social commentary, highlighting systemic failures in mental health care and social safety nets. They express empathy for Klassen’s dire circumstances—her history of mental health struggles, abusive marriage, and loss of custody of her young daughter—while also criticizing the school’s lax enrollment process and the broader societal conditions that drive people to such extremes. The episode pivots to a broader discussion on the financial realities of modern dating, with research showing that nearly half of single Americans find dating financially unsustainable due to rising costs of dates, apps, and entertainment.