Get a C in College? File a Million Dollar Lawsuit!

[Charles Kozierok]

This is one of those things where the immediate reaction is to assume that the case has no merit and so forth. But the details matter.

How can you reasonably give a "zero" for class participation if the individual showed up and participated? Seems rather suspect to me.

 

[IronWing]

I got a 100 on my Binary exam!

 

[Exterous]

Well, we don't know the range. Was it 0-10 or 0-3, etc.
We also don't know how often the teacher gave people a 0.

This case could be valid if the teacher did use his personal bias in basing his grade.

It would be interesting if it were a Christian who was claiming the teacher was biased against Christians.

Not really enough to go on in the article. So, interestingly, people are bringing THEIR bias to this thread in what they THINK happened.

If a teacher uses personal bias to give a student a grade they don't deserve than a student has a clear right, imo, to contest the grade.

:thumbsup: Also - the time to contest the grade is when you get it, not years later. It would be interesting to know if she disputed it at the time or just let it go.

How can you reasonably give a "zero" for class participation if the individual showed up and participated? Seems rather suspect to me.

Well - we don't exactly know what the classroom guidelines are on participation do we? For all we know the syllabus stipulated the participation grade was based on a single specific event or had some language like "You will get a zero if you do X or Y". I had a college class where the participation grade was based solely on interactions during the final project review which occured on a single day. You could have shown up everyday for class, participated in all the other classes but if you didn't participate in the final review (some people fell asleep due to sleep deprivation) you got a 0 in that category

To be honest - if there is no past history of the grade dispute the fact that it finally shows up now is far more suspect than getting a 0 for participation given the information at hand

 

[AstroManLuca]

However, Lehigh's attorneys are claiming that isn't true since the teacher has a family member who is a lesbian, The Morning Call reported.

"I'm black, therefore it is impossible for me to be racist."

"I'm a woman, therefore it is impossible for me to be sexist."

That's what that sounds like.

 

[Merad]

A 0 for participation is fairly unusual. If she can show that the grade from this class really was a major factor preventing her from getting a degree (or whatever) then I'd say she has a reasonable grievance although her case will be very hard to prove.

 

[madoka]

If she can show that the grade from this class really was a major factor preventing her from getting a degree (or whatever) then I'd say she has a reasonable grievance although her case will be very hard to prove.

What reasonable grievance? If but for that C+ on my transcript, I would have gone to a grad school, where I would have graduated, gotten a job, and worked at it for an entire lifetime? That $1.3 million she's suing for assumes all those things would happen.

 

[SheHateMe]

Why did she wait so long to contest the grade?

And why 1.3 million dollars? Is a C+ worth that much? How much can I get for getting a 3.0 in a class I though I was going to 3.5 in but I missed it by a point?

 

[EagleKeeper]

Unless you don't show up, how does one get a 0 for classroom participation?

In her lawsuit, Thode alleges she was given a 0 in classroom participation

Maybe, but it will not take much to prove you were in class and participated. Then the teacher will have to explain why they gave a 0 and they become suspect.

Now if no one in the class will stand up and say Student A was there and participated then it will be back to the student who looks like a nut.

She is throwing out mud, hoping that it sticks.

Showing up for class is not participation; interaction with the other students and instructor is.
Participation is subjective.
If she acted as a wall flower; then her participation is considered to be zero.

Some prima-donna's will do that in classes they despise

 

[Texashiker]

~ edited ~

 

[Charles Kozierok]

Conservatives take responsibility for their actions.

Liberals try to blame everyone else.

I see about equal incidence of these behaviors among both groups.

Anyway, I do think this is one of those cases where we need to know the details before we can fairly assess if it is reasonable or not.

 

[Dirigible]

Conservatives take responsibility for their actions.

Liberals try to blame everyone else.

Take it to p&n. Hell, a mod even already admonished you about that in this very thread.

 

[diesbudt]

I see about equal incidence of these behaviors among both groups.

Anyway, I do think this is one of those cases where we need to know the details before we can fairly assess if it is reasonable or not.

Basically this.

 

[Texashiker]

Take it to p&n. Hell, a mod even already admonished you about that in this very thread.

What are you referring to?

 

[AstroManLuca]

Conservatives take responsibility for their actions.

Liberals try to blame everyone else.

The irony of this post.

 

[SagaLore]

I see about equal incidence of these behaviors among both groups.

Anyway, I do think this is one of those cases where we need to know the details before we can fairly assess if it is reasonable or not.

We have a Debate Club???

 

[Jimzz]

Conservatives take responsibility for their actions.

Liberals try to blame everyone else.

Hahahahah... so how many of your kids are on "liberal" welfare let alone all the BS you post. :awe:

 

[diesbudt]

I am curious how a C+ "ruined" her dreams...

I got a D+ in organic chemistry I (shiver) and graduated with a 3.3 GPA in Chemical Engineering. And it didn't hurt me at all...


Ah I see... She needed a B or better... Most colleges allow one to retake a course, did she not wish to travel this avenue? And then Thode alleges she was given a 0 in classroom participation

So we don't even know if she got a 0 in participation, as she just believes that to be the reason. Plus... if you want to contest a grade, you talk to the professor to find out why, see if you cannot do something extra or explain why you deserve a better grade, and if that fails go to the dean.

I feel like this is just one of this "I live in America, and I can sue over anything" stories. I hope the judge throws it out.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Just because a person has a family member who is gay doesn't mean they are not raging homophobes.

Good luck convincing a jury that that was the motive for the low grade.

 

[Dirigible]

What are you referring to?

Post #11.

 

[Texashiker]

~ removed ~

 

[techs]

Good luck convincing a jury that that was the motive for the low grade.

I'm not sure how much convincing a jury of the motivation will be in this case. As long as the student can prove she deserved more than a zero and that the evidence is clear and convincing I think she could win based on the school not living up to its contract to provide fair grades.

As has been mentioned it is not clear if she contested the grade thru a regular appeal procedure at the school (most schools have them) or why she waited so long.

 

[unokitty]

For whatever its worth, gradeinflation.com, reports that, for 2007, the average grade at Leigh was a 3.15 (4 pt. scale).

 

[Exterous]

Maybe the school should just agree to give her a refund on tuition

 

[Corporate Thug]

She is throwing out mud, hoping that it sticks.

Showing up for class is not participation; interaction with the other students and instructor is.
Participation is subjective.
If she acted as a wall flower; then her participation is considered to be zero.

Some prima-donna's will do that in classes they despise

Unless she can prove that others got a mark higher than 0 for just showing up.

 

[techs]

This poor young lady missed out on her chance to become a Special Eduction teacher.



I see what I did there.