MARION, OH (WCMH) — Are you smarter than a 5th grader? That is the question a Marion Police officer is getting after helping a Heritage Elementary School 5th grader with her math homework on Facebook.
Ten-year-old Lena Rowe didn’t know how to go about answering a math question, so she turned to Marion police on Facebook Instant Messenger.
“I’m having trouble with my math homework. Can you help me?” she asked.
A person responded saying, “do the numbers in the parenthesis first.”
“I thought that they would be able to help me so I messaged them,” said Lena. “And they did. I was shocked when they did.”
That person was Marion Police Lieutenant B.J. Gruber.
Trying his best, the 42-year old officer ended up getting one of the problems wrong.
With a child Lena’s age, he’s joked you can see which parent doesn’t help with math homework at home.
“OK I messed up on the second equation,” said Gruber. “I got in a little over my head. But I think the real meaning to this is we have a community that is responsive to us and a police department that is responsive to our community.”
“I didn’t fully believe her at the time until I saw that they responded,” said Lena’s mother, Molly Draper.
Draper was shocked when her daughter told her the police helped her with her homework.
“I think it really shows that she’s got the trust in the police to go to them even with homework help,” said Draper.
“I am so happy that she messaged me that day because the bigger picture is highlighting the importance of what we see here today,” said Gruber.
But when asked who she’s going to call next time she needs help with her math homework?
“Ghostbusters!,” said Lena.
Gruber says he’s favorite subject in school was history, but he plans to start brushing up on his math.