How Abigail Howard and Jennifer Rist two Vermont teachers earned the wrath of their community, school board along with parents at the school they teach at.
Abigail Howard, 29, and Jennifer Rist, 35, two Windsor, Vermont teachers have been arrested for allegedly vandalizing public property a short distance from their school.
The teachers employed at Foundations Upper Valley, a school for special needs students came to be arrested after being told by construction workers not to interfere with the drying cement, only to allegedly later return and tamper with it on September 27.
The sidewalk defacement according to WCAX News led to over $1,500 in property damages.
According to the media outlet, the two women carved an animal-like figure with the initials ‘J.R.’ in the wet cement.
After being approached the women fled the scene.
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Pursuant to their arrest, Abigail Howard posted on WCAX News’ Facebook page to explain the reasons behind her actions.
‘Across from the Main Street museum are two small toys pressed into the cement. One is a cowboy and the other is a dinosaur which is why I tried to draw a dinosaur,’ Howard wrote.
The teacher claimed that her students ‘loved to make up stories about them and wonder how they got there,’ and that the wet cement, was in her mind, ‘like the tar like what preserved the dinosaurs.’
Howard finished the Facebook comment apologetically, ‘I fully intend to serve this community for some time, and I hope you’ll still have me.’
‘It retrospect, it was pretty stupid,’ Howard admitted, adding that the rat was actually supposed to be a dinosaur.
The pair have been charged with unlawful mischief and are due in court in December.
The school sent a letter to parents, guardians and community members saying it does not condone the two women’s actions and has implemented a professional improvement plan to prevent a future similar occurrence.
Howard and Rist have since written letters of apology to the town, will be participating in community service and paying a fine.
Media overtures to contact the school have been met with no response. Can you guess why?
