A former Richmond County educator is suing the school district and an assistant superintendent for trying to force her to change student grades.
According to her complaint, Von Pouncey had stellar ratings during her two years teaching literature at Westside High School and was teacher of the month twice.
A lawsuit represents only one side of a dispute. The school district had not responded to Pouncey’s complaint as of Wednesday.
Attorney for Pouncey Charles Lyons III said they want the public to know about conduct by a school official intended to force Pouncey to pass two failing students.
While an administrator can change a grade, state law prohibits an administrator from coercing a teacher into changing one.
“Dr. Pouncey has been teaching for 22 years, and this was about her career and reputation in the community she wanted to serve,” Lyons said.
The complaint says Assistant Superintendent Nathan Benedict “maliciously and wantonly” engaged in activities intended to force Pouncey to pass the two students, with the intent to cause her distress and affect her employment.
In a final step, Benedict told Pouncey in writing he was referring her to the Professional Standards Commission, which oversees teacher certification. But he’s yet to respond to her requests for information about the referral, nor has the state agency received it, Lyons said.
Teaching British Literature in the spring of 2022, Pouncey’s complaint said she informed students and parents in writing of the course requirements, the weighting of grades and her late policy. Pouncey had already notified the system of her intent not to sign a new contract before the events transpired.
Her final exam was a project consisting of a research paper and Powerpoint presentation about the paper. Eight of her 55 students did not pass the final, and Pouncey said she was pressured to allow two of them retake it.
She agreed, but insisted all eight be given a second chance. Five passed the second time, but three again failed.
The day after the re-test, Pouncey said she was sent a “letter of directive” from Benedict instructing her to create a new exam and administer it to the two failing students.
While the two-time Augusta Commission hopeful took the day off from work on Election Day, May 24, 2022, Benedict repeatedly called her phone, demanding they meet that day. Pouncey would garner enough votes to head to a June 21 runoff with then-candidate Stacy Pulliam.
Soon after, but unknown to Pouncey at the time, another school official created and administered a third test to the failing students, but none passed.
Benedict then tried to get Pouncey to give them additional work for extra credit, but Pouncey said if they were being given extra opportunities to raise their grades, the other students should as well.
In late July 2022, Benedict sent Pouncey a letter informing her he was referring her to the Georgia Professional Standards Commission.
