Straight-A student?s parents sue over F

[KoolAidKid]

I fully expect that at some point teachers will not be allowed to give grades any longer because of the potential legal liability. Much like companies calling previous employers for references, teachers will only be able to verify that the student took the class.

 

[theGlove]

it was poor communication all around. why didnt the student seek permission knowing that she's going to be out on the day it was due?
could have all been avoided (assuming that the work was done )
but I think an F is too harsh giving the circumstances. A grade 1 notch lower than the actual deserving grade would have done its purpose, ie, she gets a B instead of an A on the project.

 

[jiggahertz]

It seems kinda odd that a student with a 4.5 GPA would ever be in this position to begin with.

 

[waggy]

Originally posted by: jiggahertz

Originally posted by: waggy

Originally posted by: KoopaTroopa
hey, if i'm the girl, i figure it's worth a shot

you have straight A's, and one stupid project that is worth more than the final, could take you out of the race for valedictorian. not only that, she was on a school sponsored trip.

if she loses she loses....but can't blame her for trying

no. it sueing says you can not do what you are tald and sue if you do nto like the results. She turned in the project a DAY late. sure she was on a school sponsered trip on the day it was to be turned in. BUT she should have turned it in a day early.

When i was in highschool i was on sports teams. there was days that we would leave school in the afternoon. IF that was the case and i had something due that day it was my responsiblity to make sure it was turned in ON TIME.

personally i hope she lose's the case. but the school will change it and give her a new grade of an A and she will a few thousand dollers.

To be fair she would have had to turn it in 4 days early.

she should have talked to the teacher and gotten permision to turn it in a day late. but if he says no then work a little harder and get it in the 4 days early.

i really do not have much sympathy for her. Suing the school is wrong and to ask for damages is bullshit.

 

[Mucho]

I think she has a good case and should win.

 

[OS]

i hope she wins, too many hard ass, unaccountable union protected and tenured dick ass teachers and profs in education. Failing a student for a day late, stupid project that's worth the whole class is just as retarded. Late deliveries are a fact of life even in the business world and no one really cares.

 

[SparkyJJO]

YASL (yet another stupid lawsuit)

I can't believe people. They can be so stupid. If it is late and it was said that late stuff wouldn't be accepted then tough that is how it is. How hard is this to understand?

I think they just want money. Greedy people. I hope the judge throws this one out and makes them pay the court fees. Teach those greedy parents a lesson.

 

[moshquerade]

Originally posted by: jiggahertz
It seems kinda odd that a student with a 4.5 GPA would ever be in this position to begin with.

that's probably an average she couldn't attain without mommys and daddys help 24/7.

 

[broon]

She should have worked it out with the teacher before the trip. I'm sure the trip began and ended at the school, she could have turned it in in the morning. A lawsuit is ridiculous...an appeal to the schoolboard maybe but a lawsuit??? Nothing like suing over spilled coffee.

 

[b0mbrman]

Originally posted by: moshquerade

Originally posted by: zebano
Helicopter parents?? I'm not familiar with that term.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helicopter_parent

That's a horrible idiom...

 

[b0mbrman]

Originally posted by: SparkyJJO
YASL (yet another stupid lawsuit)

I can't believe people. They can be so stupid. If it is late and it was said that late stuff wouldn't be accepted then tough that is how it is. How hard is this to understand?

I think they just want money. Greedy people. I hope the judge throws this one out and makes them pay the court fees. Teach those greedy parents a lesson.

I think they just want an A.

 

[geecee]

Suing is ridiculous, but I, as a parent, would be extremely angry if my kid was given a failing grade because they handed in a project a day late because they were away on a school-related function. What kind of a asshat teacher doesn't make a slight exception in this case? Either way, it should never have gotten to the point that a lawsuit is filed to waste the court's time and the taxpayer's dime.

EDIT: Spelling

 

[ch33zw1z]

4.5 GPA...wtf is that.

 

[Phokus]

Well, she's a straight A student, it's worth a shot... honestly, i would probably take drastic measures if i were in her shoes since she seems to be a very bright/successful kid.

 

[xanis]

This is the biggest crock of bull I've ever seen. She knew she was going to be absent and decided not to get the damned project in on time? She ignores the rules and she and her parents think they're fvcking special? You've gotta be kidding me. I hate people.

 

[jiggahertz]

Originally posted by: ch33zw1z
4.5 GPA...wtf is that.

A buttload of AP courses.

 

[yowolabi]

Originally posted by: moshquerade

Originally posted by: yowolabi
Looks like they have a case. Punitive damages are obvioulsly unneeded, but I see no reason they shouldn't sue to have the paper graded correctly.

If she followed the rules, why should she get punished?

wait... so she is on a school approved trip. she knew she would be on that trip so she should have got her assignment done and handed in BEFOREHAND.

according to the article she was given "ample notice that late submissions would not be accepted."

The article also says that "Other absent students, including athletes and those who are suspended under disciplinary action, are allowed to hand in work after they return to school." So the school has a precedent of saying if you're away for a school approved reason, turning something in the next day is not considered late. So wouldn't the girl believe and expect that being away on a school sponsored field trip included her in that group?

As far as turning it in beforehand, I agree that would be ideal. But, we don't know how long they were given to do the project. Maybe it was too hard to finish doing it early. Maybe she was just confident that she could turn it in the day afterward like she always did before. Edit: If what someone pointed out is true about her having to turn the project in 4 days early, it makes even more sense.

I'm not saying that the girl is definitely right, because we don't have all the details, but she definitely has a legitimate case. This isn't a case of a helicopter parent at all. An unfair application of a rule could cost this girl her opportunity to be valedictorian. I'd look down on any parents who didn't at least try to help.

 

[Phokus]

Originally posted by: ch33zw1z
4.5 GPA...wtf is that.

you get additional GPA points for honors classes (they did the same things as my class).

 

[Scarpozzi]

The teacher has a right to give an F for a late project. Should they? I don't believe so. If the student was on a school trip...they should get a chance to makeup the assignment...but should lose 1 letter grade at most....not 3. It sounds like the teacher is just being a jerk and should be reviewed by the principal rather than sued.

I hope the schoolboard pressures the principal to handle the issue rather than leaving it up to the courts. Not only is this poor use of the judicial system, it's a waste of state resources. They should throw the case out.

 

[ScottFern]

This is foxtrot, over.

 

[Phokus]

Originally posted by: Scarpozzi
The teacher has a right to give an F for a late project. Should they? I don't believe so. If the student was on a school trip...they should get a chance to makeup the assignment...but should lose 1 letter grade at most....not 3. It sounds like the teacher is just being a jerk and should be reviewed by the principal rather than sued.

I hope the schoolboard pressures the principal to handle the issue rather than leaving it up to the courts. Not only is this poor use of the judicial system, it's a waste of state resources. They should throw the case out.

I agree, i've handed assignments late with just one full letter grade less and i never complained, but if i got failed, i would be pretty pissed off.

 

[moshquerade]

Originally posted by: yowolabi

Originally posted by: moshquerade

Originally posted by: yowolabi
Looks like they have a case. Punitive damages are obvioulsly unneeded, but I see no reason they shouldn't sue to have the paper graded correctly.

If she followed the rules, why should she get punished?

wait... so she is on a school approved trip. she knew she would be on that trip so she should have got her assignment done and handed in BEFOREHAND.

according to the article she was given "ample notice that late submissions would not be accepted."

The article also says that "Other absent students, including athletes and those who are suspended under disciplinary action, are allowed to hand in work after they return to school." So the school has a precedent of saying if you're away for a school approved reason, turning something in the next day is not considered late. So wouldn't the girl believe and expect that being away on a school sponsored field trip included her in that group?

As far as turning it in beforehand, I agree that would be ideal. But, we don't know how long they were given to do the project. Maybe it was too hard to finish doing it early. Maybe she was just confident that she could turn it in the day afterward like she always did before.

I'm not saying that the girl is definitely right, because we don't have all the details, but she definitely has a legitimate case. This isn't a case of a helicopter parent at all. An unfair application of a rule could cost this girl her opportunity to be valedictorian. I'd look down on any parents who didn't at least try to help.

i did read that the school has that rule, BUT it also says they were given ample notice that late submissions would not be accepted.

i went out for sports and we weren't given extra time to complete assignments when we had a game or were out of town for the weekend at a tournament. you had to be smart enough to balance that yourself.

 

[waggy]

Originally posted by: Phokus

Originally posted by: Scarpozzi
The teacher has a right to give an F for a late project. Should they? I don't believe so. If the student was on a school trip...they should get a chance to makeup the assignment...but should lose 1 letter grade at most....not 3. It sounds like the teacher is just being a jerk and should be reviewed by the principal rather than sued.

I hope the schoolboard pressures the principal to handle the issue rather than leaving it up to the courts. Not only is this poor use of the judicial system, it's a waste of state resources. They should throw the case out.

I agree, i've handed assignments late with just one full letter grade less and i never complained, but if i got failed, i would be pretty pissed off.

she is not going to fail the class. she also did NOT get a zero for the work.

The leaf project was the most significant assignment of the semester, worth more points than the final exam. According to the lawsuit, if the student received a zero or any failing grade, her "A" in the class would drop to a "B."

Originally, the student would have earned a zero for turning in the project late. However, Schultz decided to give the student half-credit.



so she is getting a B in the class and got half-credit for the work.


edit: but what class is this? i did this project in like the 6th or 7th grade. a 4.5gpa student doing this in a advanced biology class? WTF?

 

[Phokus]

Originally posted by: waggy

Originally posted by: Phokus

Originally posted by: Scarpozzi
The teacher has a right to give an F for a late project. Should they? I don't believe so. If the student was on a school trip...they should get a chance to makeup the assignment...but should lose 1 letter grade at most....not 3. It sounds like the teacher is just being a jerk and should be reviewed by the principal rather than sued.

I hope the schoolboard pressures the principal to handle the issue rather than leaving it up to the courts. Not only is this poor use of the judicial system, it's a waste of state resources. They should throw the case out.

I agree, i've handed assignments late with just one full letter grade less and i never complained, but if i got failed, i would be pretty pissed off.

she is not going to fail the class. she also did NOT get a zero for the work.

The leaf project was the most significant assignment of the semester, worth more points than the final exam. According to the lawsuit, if the student received a zero or any failing grade, her "A" in the class would drop to a "B."

Originally, the student would have earned a zero for turning in the project late. However, Schultz decided to give the student half-credit.



so she is getting a B in the class and got half-credit for the work.


edit: but what class is this? i did this project in like the 6th or 7th grade. a 4.5gpa student doing this in a advanced biology class? WTF?

it says she's going to get an F on the assignment:

A top student?s failing biology project grade has landed a Sissonville High School teacher and the school system in court.

 

[yowolabi]

Originally posted by: moshquerade

Originally posted by: yowolabi

Originally posted by: moshquerade

Originally posted by: yowolabi
Looks like they have a case. Punitive damages are obvioulsly unneeded, but I see no reason they shouldn't sue to have the paper graded correctly.

If she followed the rules, why should she get punished?

wait... so she is on a school approved trip. she knew she would be on that trip so she should have got her assignment done and handed in BEFOREHAND.

according to the article she was given "ample notice that late submissions would not be accepted."

The article also says that "Other absent students, including athletes and those who are suspended under disciplinary action, are allowed to hand in work after they return to school." So the school has a precedent of saying if you're away for a school approved reason, turning something in the next day is not considered late. So wouldn't the girl believe and expect that being away on a school sponsored field trip included her in that group?

As far as turning it in beforehand, I agree that would be ideal. But, we don't know how long they were given to do the project. Maybe it was too hard to finish doing it early. Maybe she was just confident that she could turn it in the day afterward like she always did before.

I'm not saying that the girl is definitely right, because we don't have all the details, but she definitely has a legitimate case. This isn't a case of a helicopter parent at all. An unfair application of a rule could cost this girl her opportunity to be valedictorian. I'd look down on any parents who didn't at least try to help.

i did read that the school has that rule, BUT it also says they were given ample notice that late submissions would not be accepted.

i went out for sports and we weren't given extra time to complete assignments when we had a game or were out of town for the weekend at a tournament. you had to be smart enough to balance that yourself.

The whole point is that it's not considered late for anyone who's out for an approved reason. If that really has been the school policy, then she didn't hand in her paper late at all, which makes the whole "ample notice" line meaningless.

We can't really compare this to our own schools. I agree that you should be able to balance everything. My whole argument is that once the school sets a precedent that this kind of thing is okay, they can't just pull the rug out from underneath the student. Do you really think she would have turned it in afterwards if the school hadn't set the expectation that it was okay? There's no way she would have risked that much hard work if there was any reason to doubt.