Har. And I Thought *My* Snowflakes Were Special!
Sometimes students actually have legitimate complaints--not often, but it has been known to happen. The more amusing time seems to be reading/hearing whatever lame excuse they've come up with for screwing up. It usually consists of dead grandmothers, whose funerals/deaths cannot usually be verified. I've heard my fair share of bizarre excuses, but I've never gotten any threats. I believe that's because on the first day of class, I announce that anyone who'd like to try is welcome to bring it and watch how quickly that turns into a shitstorm. My syllabus is much more judiciously worded. But this poor prof got the full on mafia treatment--over a damn B-. (My paste below is taken from another blog--the link goes to the news story about it.)
B- prompts student to threaten PSU prof, police say
Rather than earning an "A" the old-fashioned way, a Penn State student tried to get one by threatening his professor with a wheelchair ride, according to police.
Something tells me Apostalo Michael Tsirogiannis, 20, of State College, was not going to be successful, even if Penn State police hadn't gotten involved.
When it comes to making friends and influencing people, threatening to cripple them is not going to endear you to anyone. Just my opinion.
Tsirogiannis drew the attention of police this weekend when the dean of the College of Business notified them of an e-mail sent to Visiting Assistant Professor Lukas Roth. In their complaint, police quoted the e-mail as saying thus:
"Lukas I am going to warn you one last chance I am going to ask I want better than a B-. If I see this on my elion account I swear to god I am going to (expletive) put you in a wheelchair when I see you. You will regret it and I don't care if they kick me out of school you cheated on the first test and I refuse to get cheated out of a letter grade. Don't (expletive) around you will pay trust me I don't care if I go jail as long as I put you in a wheelchair. Change the (expletive) grade you cheater. All I ask is you change the grade and that is it I will leave you alone. Don't be a (female dog) you better respond back."
And with those brave words, Tsirogiannis was hauled before District Justice Jonathan Grine and arraigned on misdemeanor charges of terroristic threats and harassment.
Tsirogiannis later told police he sent the e-mail, but did so because he worked really hard and thought he deserved better than a B-, according to a criminal complaint.
Isn't the grammar lovely?? Kind of makes you wonder why old boy even got a B- with sterling prose like that. I'm still a little too young and hot headed to have turned something over promptly to the police like that. I would've been sooo tempted to hit "reply" and fire something back like:
"Dear Dicklick. I figured it would come to this. Let's save you the time you'll spend stalking me down and meet at my office tomorrow at 10:00. Or we can make it 2:00 if your ass can't roll out of bed that soon, seeing as class was terribly hard for you to attend. You bring your wheelchair-maker. I'll bring my boredom. Looking forward to it like you wouldn't begin to know."
It's a good thing I have several layers of management to answer to, I guess. But an email like that would've pissed me right off proper.
-- Virgil
posted by contemplator at Sunday, June 01, 2008
6 Comments:
I am endlessly curious about how this ass-hat thinks the professor cheated on the first test. I'm not even sure how that's possible unless the prof gave an unfair test... which could be easily handled with that prof's superior.
I think my favorite part is his apparent peace offering at the end. "All I'm asking is that you change my grade and I'll leave you alone."
Oh is that all? Just cave to your threat of turning me into a paraplegic? No biggie there!
Every time I think freshmen and sophomores get an undeserved bad reputation, there are gems like this guy and PIMA to remind me of why they often deserve the scorn that profs dish out.
Yup. For every ten Grandmothers who die when a major paper is due, 9 1/2 of them are fake. :)
Have you gotten any requests from Mr. Tsirogiannis requesting that you remove this article? He has asked that I remove my article on this incident and I am curious if he has approached you as well. I would welcome any thoughts you might have as a blogger on the notion of removing the article.
Feel free to email me if you would like to discuss.
Nope. I wouldn't think it was a legally actionable request anyway?
Let me know what you did.
And FYI, I would probably find it hilarious if he asked me to remove it.
... what would he do, threaten me or something? Har.
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