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A+ In Stupidity: College Professor Fired For Failing Students



Aug 21, 2009 6 Comments ›› Erik Wong

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FOX News:

A former Pennsylvania State University professor claims she was fired for failing students in her nursing class, a civil lawsuit claims.

Elizabeth Barry, a former nursing instructor at Penn State’s Fayette campus, did not have her contract renewed at the end of the spring 2008 semester, according to court documents filed on Aug. 17 in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania. Barry claims the non-renewal is because 19 of the 52 students in her psychiatric nursing class failed their final exam.

Named in the lawsuit were Nursing School Dean Paula Milone-Nuzzo, Assistant Dean Raymonde Brown and Penn State Fayette Chancellor Emmanuel Osagie, court documents show.

Barry claims Milone-Nuzzo and Brown threatened her contract renewal after she refused to change her grading policies. Nine of the 19 students who failed had their grade changed, the complaint alleges.

“There was no reason given for the non-renewal,” the lawsuit reads. “The non-renewal was the equivalent of a termination.”

Joseph Chivers, Barry’s attorney, declined to comment on Friday when contacted by FOXNews.com. According to the lawsuit, Chivers claims the non-renewal violated the Civil Rights Act of 1871 and the Pennsylvania Whistleblower Act.

A spokeswoman for Penn State said the university will contest Barry’s claims.

“Penn State fully intends to defend itself against the claims brought by Elizabeth Barry,” spokeswoman Annemarie Mountz told FOXNews.com. “A formal response to her complaint will be filed”

As of Friday, Barry’s profile was still active on Penn State Fayette’s Web site.


  • http://www.dirtydozensbunker.com Sanders

    When almost half the class fails, there is a problem with the teaching, not the students.

    • Xavier

      I had this exact situation, except the class was a total of 20. There were 2x Cs, 3x Ds, & 15x Fs.

      The teacher explained that the reason for the results had to be a failure of the students to study.

      Needless to say the class didn’t take that well. :evil:

    • will

      No, When half the class has failed, they have not given their best effort.

  • DoubleTap

    Whine whine whine. I’ve had instructors like this myself. They provide useless lecture, unintelligible project definitions and are completely indifferent to teaching. They come in, they stand and rant and then leave. They love failing students because it give them a real ego boost.

    No sympathy babe.

  • moriah

    I think there is a misunderstanding here. My take on this story was this teacher isn’t buying into the PC BS that we’re all the same in our achievemenets no matter how well we “test.”. What do you want to bet her failed students were minorities? Anyone can get a college degree just short of taking a dump on the professors desk. No-one fails. I don’t want a affirmative action doctor and I don’t want a loser flunky nurse sticking a needle in my arm…

    • Xavier

      “I don’t want a affirmative action doctor and I don’t want a loser flunky nurse sticking a needle in my arm”

      What are you going to do test them before they provide health care for you? You’ll probably have both in your life time. And, they will probably have learned more actually practicing their trade, then sitting through this idiot teachers ‘weed out class’ which is probably designed to fail students instead of teach them.

      Did you ever consider that colleges make more money when students have to retake classes or change degree plans a couple times. While colleges are often public and are not profit driven I’m sure the extra money helps with their admin & sport program costs.