“Survivor: China” contestant Denise Martin has been accused of lying during the live broadcast of the show's finale Sunday, when she said that she had been wrongfully demoted from “lunch lady” in a Douglas, Mass. school cafeteria to night-shift janitor and received a surprise $50,000 from the show’s producers.

Nancy T. Lane, superintendent of the Douglas Public Schools in Douglas, Mass., issued a press release Monday, Dec. 17, defending the District against allegations made by Denise Martin Sunday, Dec. 16, during the live broadcast of the “Survivor: China” finale.

Martin told a heart-breaking story that probably made many viewers indignant of how she was not given her job back as cafeteria worker upon returning from China, where the reality television show was taped, and instead was demoted to janitorial duties.

She told viewers she now has to clean toilets and vacuum the children’s rugs.

Host Jeff Probst gave Martin $50,000 at the end of the show, on behalf of producer Mark Burnett, to help get her life back on track. Which Martin gratefully accepted.

Lane said Monday that her employee lied throughout her tear-jerking story. The superintendent said Martin was already a full-time custodian before leaving to tape “Survivor: China,” at her own request.

She had worked as a cafeteria employee before her participation on the show and asked to be promoted as full-time custodian – a promotion which she received. Upon being selected for “Survivor,” she requested an unpaid leave of absence, which she received as well.

She returned to the same position as full-time custodian, Lane said, after filming ended.

“We were pleased and excited to support Denise, and have enthusiastically cheered her on throughout the duration of the show,” she said in the press release.

“Regretfully, the Douglas Public School District was inaccurately portrayed as failing to be accommodating to an employee during what the District viewed as a “once-in-a-lifetime” opportunity,” she added.

The show’s winner of the $1 million prize was 22-year-old Todd Herzog, from Pleasant Grove, Utah.