In a disheartening incident at Valley View Elementary in Pennsylvania, a father, Chris Piland, expressed his dismay over a teacher’s derogatory remark written on his second-grader’s assignment. The note, which read “absolutely pathetic,” instantly raised concerns about the teacher’s approach to fostering a conducive learning environment.
This remark led Piland to demand the termination of the teacher responsible, citing the comment as a direct attack on his child’s confidence and intellectual abilities.
The teacher’s alleged misuse of authority came to light when it was revealed that the comment was made in response to the child’s performance on a timed subtraction test, where he managed to complete only 13 questions in 3 minutes. This led to further scrutiny of the teacher’s conduct and practice at the school.
The teacher, Alyssa Rupp Bohenek, known for her stern method of feedback, marked the paper with a red pen, a practice often associated with highlighting poor performance, accompanied by the comment, “Absolutely pitiful, he answered 13 questions in 3 minutes! Sad.” followed by an expression of discontent.
Frustrations escalated when Piland shared the displeasing remark online, which garnered a wave of solidarity and outrage among other parents and netizens, triggering a call for immediate action regarding Bohenek’s teaching methods.
An online petition was soon initiated by Piland, aiming to ensure such negative interactions would not affect more young students and to challenge Bohenek’s position at the school.
The school’s superintendent, Rose Minniti, later addressed the incident, confirming that a meeting with the teacher was scheduled to thoroughly investigate the matter and decide whether termination was warranted. Minniti emphasized that any decision would be based on facts and evidence rather than the influence of social media.
Minniti reassured that the primary objective was to serve the best interest of the students while ensuring due process in the safeguarding of the teacher’s rights during the investigation. Bohenek, who has been with the school since 2013, now faces significant scrutiny over her suitability to nurture and educate young minds amidst this controversy.
