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THS STUDENT ALLEGES ABUSE AT THE HANDS OF A TEACHER

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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.

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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

 

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Jonathan Melle
Jonathan Melle
6 years ago

When I was a graduate student at U Mass Amherst, my professor brought in delicious bagels with yummy cream cheese for us to eat as we discussed labor and politics. I used to love eating bagels, supporting the working class in politics, and learning that economics and finance binds us together as a country. I still root for the underdogs in our society. What makes America great is that no matter who you are or where you come from, you have the equality of opportunity to achieve a good life. You can start off in a log cabin and end up in The White House!

Still Wondering
Still Wondering
Reply to  Jonathan Melle
6 years ago

And you can start off in the Berkshires and end up in New Hampshire on disability.

VillageKnight
VillageKnight
Reply to  Still Wondering
6 years ago

Reply to Still Wondering: Bravo! Nicely said!

12 Gauge
12 Gauge
6 years ago

Lincoln’s father was actually moderately wealthy as he owned two farms. Dishonest Abe is both a myth and fraud.

Shakes His Head
Shakes His Head
Reply to  12 Gauge
6 years ago

So who is your favorite president?

12 Gauge
12 Gauge
Reply to  Shakes His Head
6 years ago

The one who follows the Constitution and promotes freedom

Shakes His Head
Shakes His Head
Reply to  12 Gauge
6 years ago

Do explain how honest Abe did not follow the constitution?

12 Gauge
12 Gauge
Reply to  Shakes His Head
6 years ago

give it a google kenneth

Rocky Creed
Rocky Creed
6 years ago

Congrats to the Taconic baseball team on winning their first ever state championship

The school committee
The school committee
6 years ago

Dan,Pittsfield is the only school system In this county that actually deals with these problems and unlike lenox,lee,and southern Berkshire this will mot be swept under the rug.You are unaware of huge drug problems in South county schools being kept secrets .Pittsfield is not in denial like those you dont target.

Life in the Pitts
Life in the Pitts
6 years ago

If this story is true, it shows yet another reason why unions have no place in the public sector. Bad teachers are protected by the unions all the time and get the same raises as all the good and excellent ones.

LongGunMan
LongGunMan
Reply to  Life in the Pitts
6 years ago

couldn’t agree more. This teacher will walk off with a slap on the wrist and 70k + bennies

Shakes His Head
Shakes His Head
Reply to  LongGunMan
6 years ago

What, should they be fired? It’s conflicting stories and mixed motives. Maybe the student now needs therapy.

LongGunMan
LongGunMan
Reply to  Shakes His Head
6 years ago

Im sure there are openings in your weekly group session

Life in the Pitts
Life in the Pitts
Reply to  Shakes His Head
6 years ago

SHH,
If, and only if, the story is true then the teacher should be fired. If I ever treated my customers or coworkers in that manner I’d be terminated immediately with cause.
That’s the problem with the teachers unions, they protect the bad teachers to the point they can only be fired when they start sleeping with students. Then people wonder why the public school system is such a mess.

LongGunMan
LongGunMan
Reply to  Life in the Pitts
6 years ago

I’ve worked in PPS as well as a few other districts in the Pioneer Valley/Springfield.

PPS has a horrible issue with entitled, crotchety teachers who know they have the union backing them up. It’s disgusting. You’d be amazed at the way other districts outside of Berkshire County run. It’s apples and oranges. And some of those districts get paid LESS, yet are level 1 or 2 status

Life in the Pitts
Life in the Pitts
Reply to  Life in the Pitts
6 years ago

Lone Gun Man, too many teachers have the ‘I can get away with and do anything I please’ mentality that comes from the union protecting them. In the non union private sector, underperforming employees are shown the door, but in Teacher World they are given step raises and tenure. Nice way to reward bad behavior. And it’s certainly not fair to the really good teachers and there alot of them.
Do want to add that it’s not just teachers and their greedy union that are the problem, it’s also poor administration, bad students, and incredibly stupid parents too.

Deep Teacher
Deep Teacher
6 years ago

Pittsfield administrators are now implementing “restorative justice”. That means if a student tells me to F off because I asked him/her to put away the electronic device, I must meet to understand what I did to cause the student to act that way. (It’s the teacher’s fault)

Since it happened on school grounds, perhaps principal Vosburgh should apply the same remedy and logic. (It’s the student’s fault, so have her explain what she did to cause the teacher to do this)

What a bass ackwards method of dealing with bad behavior. It would not make sense in either situation, but that is the inverted reality we now live in here in the Berkshires.

LongGunMan
LongGunMan
Reply to  Deep Teacher
6 years ago

Can the teacher reply, “I asked a degenerate to act respectful and human and they became upset because they should have been dropped in Silver Lake as a baby”

Info
Info
Reply to  LongGunMan
6 years ago

Maybe they should have them read the comments section of “Planet Valenti” to see how civilized adults behave.

The school committee
The school committee
6 years ago

Dan,for the sake of kids in South county high schools do an expose on the coverups in lenox,lee,monument…alcohol,pot ,absenteeism, bullying and racism…heroin crosses the city limits into Lenox

Two Cents
Two Cents
6 years ago

While we can debate the appropriateness of such a statement by an appointed official….I must say that the statement is absolutely true!

Spider
Spider
6 years ago

The Health Dept. leaves much to be desired. They sit like bumps on a log, not knowing what to do. Is this the best we can find in our city?

Fudgey
Fudgey
6 years ago

This incident may or may have happened,but she still deserves a day in court. But why would she delay a meeting, teachers are usally truthful.

h
h
6 years ago

One of the words used in this piece was fucking, so this applies to my next statement. The fucking State Forest now charges to go Into the Forest. I’m going to Hess, it’s free.

Koz
Koz
Reply to  h
6 years ago

lame

Two Cents
Two Cents
Reply to  h
6 years ago

I’m sure Dan and others remember when the gates to the state forest were always manned by EPOs to collect visiting fees. However, usually if you tell them that your just passing through to enjoy the view and are not staying to fish,camp or hike, they would let you pass.

Joe Blow
Joe Blow
Reply to  Two Cents
6 years ago

I always tell them I’m going up and around and have never been charged.

P HewtonHe
P HewtonHe
6 years ago

OFF TOPIC. As a resident of the North Side I have a complaint. I am sick and tired of the Day Care being run out of my Neighbors house, all day long yelling and crying and just loud. Does anyone know who controls these Day Cares, I love kids, but am getting sick of the lack of privacy and Noise issues, please help? The Mayor doesn’t give a shit she’s locked in.

Pat
Pat
Reply to  P HewtonHe
6 years ago

If you can’t get any help from the Mayor I would contact anyone in city hall and ask about noise ordinance laws in the city. Especially in the warm weather with everyone having their windows open and being outside a lot we all need everyone to respect their neighbors privacy.

h
h
Reply to  Pat
6 years ago

Great reply Pat, and so true.

Tricksie
Tricksie
6 years ago

100% true story – but birds of a feather, flock together…yes ?

C. Trzcinka
C. Trzcinka
6 years ago

This is why Massachusetts needs charter schools and vouchers. In Indiana the vouchers can be used at Catholic schools. The teachers in the public –monopoly– school know that they have competition. They will lose students with behavior like this.

Indiana’s private schools, Catholic, Christian and non-secular, are doing well. In Massachusetts they are not. Every school I ever attended (Redfield, Notre Dame, St. Joe and Boston State College) has been shut down because of the public monopoly school pressure. (UMASS in the case of Boston State.)

AlaskanBushClowns
AlaskanBushClowns
Reply to  C. Trzcinka
6 years ago

Norte Dame closingcas well as all the others was to pay for all those lawsuits.

The school committee
The school committee
6 years ago

School choice has ruined public schools.Elite take their children from their home schools.Catholic schools are not rigorous academicly.

LongGunMan
LongGunMan
Reply to  The school committee
6 years ago

Unions and counselors have ruined schools. Don’t confuse yourself. I know numerous families that school choice their kids to BaRT or McCann. None of them are part of the “elite”.

Life in the Pitts
Life in the Pitts
Reply to  LongGunMan
6 years ago

Some of these students spend almost as much time in counseling (which I don’t think schools should be doing) than in class. Then they wonder why they don’t perform well.

12 Gauge
12 Gauge
6 years ago

Ok shakeflalke . We know who you are Kenneth and you know the frequency.

The school committee
The school committee
6 years ago

This story does not sound true, it sounds like the student has a history with this teacher and on the way out decides to make a b.s. accusation.

Halo
Halo
Reply to  The school committee
6 years ago

If I knew the name of the teacher and there are a couple who wouldn’t surprise me, then I could tell you if this really happened.

Tito
Tito
6 years ago

Happy to see you back Dan! They’re is always a void when your nnot here.

Halo
Halo
6 years ago

What happened at Reid today.