Lackawanna Co. family speaks out about "absolutely pathetic" viral math quiz
LACKAWANNA COUNTY, Pa. (WOLF)- A Valley View second-grader's math quiz has gone viral.
"She made me really sad and upset. I was really mad. And [it was] really mean to do," said 7-year-old Kamdyn Piland.
The words "absolutely pathetic" were written across the top of his 50-question math quiz.
His father says those words were written by his son's teacher.
"You don't write that on anybody's paper, let alone a little 7-year-old, second grader's paper," said Christopher Piland. "It said on the top of it that he answered only 13 of them in 3 minutes and that it was absolutely pathetic with a sad face."
"It broke my heart," added Kamdyn.
Chris says he confronted his son's teacher, Alyssa Rupp Bohenek.
"I believe what you wrote on his paper was extremely unprofessional and just very rude and she messaged me back and said she was sorry I felt that way," explained Chris.
Frustrated, he took to Facebook to ask friends and family for advice.
His post has gone viral, with people around the world chiming in. Some siding with the teacher, others saying she went too far.
"A teacher bullied [...] a second grader," said Peckville resident Beth O'Brien. "I think they should be fired."
"We [teachers] do millions of things that people don't see behind closed doors, things that are good for kids," said East Stroudsburg resident Amy Krushinski. "One moment cannot define this teacher's character."
A petition calling for Bohenek to be fired already has over 17,000 signatures.
Another petition calling for her to keep her job has just over 900.
Piland says he's just looking out for his kids, not trying to make someone lose their job.
"It's something that shouldn't happen and shouldn't be tolerated at all," he said.
"It was really, really, really, really mean to do," added Kamdyn.
Chris says Kamdyn will be moved to a new classroom Tuesday.
While his post may have gotten bigger than intended, Chris is hoping it can help at least some people.
"Maybe it'll be taken seriously now and it'll keep it from happening to other teachers and other students," he said.
Efforts to reach Bohenek were unsuccessful.
The Valley View Superintendent tells FOX56 the district is investigating, and that it's a personnel issue that won't be dictated by social media.
