By DAN VALENTI

PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY

(FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEDNESDAY JUNE 21, 2017) — Welcome to the longest day of the year.  After today, we thankfully begin going the other way, and you know what that means. Love it.

THE PLANET  gathers information from far and wide, near and narrow. We recently got word through sources of an alleged incident that took place at Taconic High School on Friday May 5. Here is what a 17-year-old student says happened to her. THE PLANET has slightly edited the statement for continuity. This is what we were told.

The girl says that as she left the school with a friend on that day, she went to her car in the on-site parking lot. As she was unlocking the door, “I realized a woman was screaming at my friend and me. I didn’t know what was going on, and then I heard her say, ‘Don’t ever fucking park next to me again.'”

She says the woman approached. The latter’s car, says the girl, was parked next to hers. Then, she says, the woman then “slammed her car door into my passenger’s side, [causing damage]. My friend and I were shocked. [At first] I didn’t know who this lady was or why she did that. She quickly got in her car, backed up, rolled down her window, and said, ‘I hope it’s fucking scratched.’ She then sped away. I was in complete awe. I found out later that this woman is a teacher at THS.” The girl emphasized the word “teacher.”

Woah.

The student says she and her friend immediately reported the incident to the vice principal. Since the alleged encounter occurred on a Friday with school out, the VP told the girls to wait until Monday. They did.

“This happened over four weeks ago [now about six], and every time the principal tries to set up a meeting with this teacher, she cancels. … I am furious that I never got an apology from her and the school.”  The student says she’s considering filing a police report. From what she’s saying, it sounds like such and order would be appropriate. The Pittsfield School Department administration — principal, school superintendent, and school committee — must investigate the matter and determine the facts. The community, the girl, and her parents or guardians need to know, and soon. This cannot be ignored.

John Vosburgh is principal at THS. Incidentally, the student has named the teacher. We will not share the name at this time. Our initial probe included speaking with a former student and persons who know both the teacher and the student. They tell THE PLANET they are not surprised by the teacher’s alleged actions. We will update the story as new information becomes available. If the incident did happen as reported, it leads to a troubling set of circumstances, not the least of which that this is unacceptable behavior from a member of the faculty.

If this incident took place, there should be consequences.  Accountability has long since taken a holiday in Pittsfield. We humbly suggest that the vacation abruptly end. That will be up to the administration. Will it bury the matter and pretend all is well or will it get to the bottom of what occurred? If the teacher did not do this, then the student has committed an injustice.

All THE PLANET knows for sure is that for what the good citizens of Pittsfield are paying for public schools (well north of $100 million per year), it deserves  much better. Someone in authority needs to step up and own this.

—————————————————————————————————————-

“If you have faith no greater than a mustard seed and you say to the mountain ‘Move!,” the mountain will move. Nothing is impossible.” — Jesus

“OPEN THE WINDOW, AUNT MILLIE.”

LOVE TO ALL