Straight-A student?s parents sue over F

[zinfamous]

looks like she's being prepped to be a typical University of Chicago student. awesome.

btw; nice work with the subtitle.

 

[blackllotus]

Originally posted by: Queasy
I agree. It worked the same way when I was in high school. But the complaint states that this particular school's policy is to allow students to turn work in a day late if they were on a school sponsored trip OR if they were suspended from school. If that is true, then this girl has a case because she was treated differently.

That may be the school's general policy, however I would not be surprised if it didn't apply to important projects.

 

[jiggahertz]

Originally posted by: ScottFern
This is foxtrot, over.

this is a huge charlie foxtrot

 

[waggy]

Originally posted by: 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.

from here

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.

The student's parents were not content with the teacher's decision, calling it "an arbitrary and capricious act."



she was orginally going to get a zero. the teacher changed it to half credit. the parents were still pissed off.

though i do think the teacher should have taken it and given full credit. she was on a school trip. BUT she should have taken care to make sure it would be ok if NOT then turn it in early.

 

[jdoggg12]

I think a lot of people think shes getting an F on the class - which isn't true She got an F on the project, though its the biggest part of her grade, an F can still be 59% and the veledictorian should get 90% on everything else. A B seems reasonable in the class.

Think of it this way - she's preparing for college. A college professor wont give a sh*t what your excuse is (within reason).

 

[Anubis]

why couldent she turn it in early?

im pretty sure that school council trips leave from the school, coudl have turned it in before they left on that day

i say fvck her 1/2 credit was enough, people like her fail in college and its funny

 

[waggy]

Originally posted by: jdoggg12
I think a lot of people think shes getting an F on the class - which isn't true She got an F on the project, though its the biggest part of her grade, an F can still be 59% and the veledictorian should get 90% on everything else. A B seems reasonable in the class.

Think of it this way - she's preparing for college. A college professor wont give a sh*t what your excuse is (within reason).

yeap. some would give the Zero and not change it.

though she is going to win the lawsuit or they will come to a seattlement. so now when she goes to college she is going to pull the same crap.

 

[Miramonti]

POLL!!

I completely agree with the suit, if for nothing but to put pressure on the school to be reasonable and follow its own guidelines.

 

[JS80]

teacher and school are being unfair, i hope she wins the lawsuit. parents should control schools, not power hungry bureaucrats.

 

[Thraxen]

The project?s deadline listed in the class syllabus was Oct. 17, but L.H. was attending a school-approved student council trip to Jacksons Mill in Lewis County from Oct. 15-17.

J. Michael Ronson, the student?s lawyer, said the late assignment should be accepted because the trip had been approved by the principal. Other absent students, including athletes and those who are suspended under disciplinary action, are allowed to hand in work after they return to school, he said.

A lawsuit seems extreme, but I think they have a good point here. First off, getting an F for being day late seems excessive anyway... this is freaking HS. Second, if what they say about athletes is true, then she too should be able to turn in her project late. I have little reason to doubt that athletes get to do so... that's how it works at pretty much every level of education. Double standards FTL.

 

[ElFenix]

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."

and when the policy of the school is that, when out on a school function, work handed in the next day is accepted as on-time, then her project wasn't late and should have been graded properly.

i see their point. if she's not valedictorian she may not get into harvard. that's worth suing over.

Originally posted by: 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.

i'm guessing they did ask the teacher, principle, and school board before filing suit. suits are expensive.

 

[cjchaps]

Is that some Washington thing?

Originally posted by: waggy

Originally posted by: jdoggg12
I think a lot of people think shes getting an F on the class - which isn't true She got an F on the project, though its the biggest part of her grade, an F can still be 59% and the veledictorian should get 90% on everything else. A B seems reasonable in the class.

Think of it this way - she's preparing for college. A college professor wont give a sh*t what your excuse is (within reason).

yeap. some would give the Zero and not change it.

though she is going to win the lawsuit or they will come to a seattlement. so now when she goes to college she is going to pull the same crap.

 

[Kev]

I came into this thread fully prepared to rip the parents and student for being entitled little brats, but after reading that article I have to take the student's side in this. Everything except the punitive damages nonsense.

If they can't get treated fairly through the school, what other options do they have but to sue?

 

[Chaotic42]

While I hate these stupid lawsuits as much as anyone, this line struck me:

-
?She?s really not protesting a bad grade, what she?s protesting is that there?s a refusal to follow the rule in Kanawha County, that if you?re absent from school with permission, then you are given the days you?re absent to make up or complete the work you?ve done,? Ronson said.
-

That looks like the point right there.

 

[Kadarin]

Originally posted by: jiggahertz
J. Michael Ronson, the student?s lawyer, said the late assignment should be accepted because the trip had been approved by the principal. Other absent students, including athletes and those who are suspended under disciplinary action, are allowed to hand in work after they return to school, he said.

Seems like it should have been accepted, but a lawsuit is a little over the top.

I'm guessing the lawsuit is because the school would not back down in her case. IMO the damages are not necessary, but the school should accept the assignment.

 

[broon]

I think it would be amusing if she won the lawsuit but her work ended up being C material and her final grade was a B anyway.

 

[DougK62]

It's sad that the parents have to resort to a court case over something that is very clearly the fault of the school. All parents should be outraged over the school's actions.

 

[waggy]

Originally posted by: DougK62
It's sad that the parents have to resort to a court case over something that is very clearly the fault of the school. All parents should be outraged over the school's actions.

Personally i do not think it is 100% the schools fault. seems the girl knew she was not going to be in class on the day so she should have talked to the teacher and did her best to turn it in.

BUT i do agree the school should have taken it. considering the school policy and she was on a school trip. I just feel the lawsuit is far over the top. to ask for damages is BS

 

[thraashman]

Originally posted by: JS80
teacher and school are being unfair, i hope she wins the lawsuit. parents should control schools, not power hungry bureaucrats.

You obviously don't know any teachers. Parents should most certainly NOT control schools. Because first off, teachers have degrees in this stuff. For some reason parents think they know more than teachers. She had advanced notice that she was going to be absent, and therefore it was HER responsibility to turn the project in early! It's by no means the teacher's fault that the student chose to ignore the turn in date and is trying to use a school trip as an excuse to get extra time that other students did not get.

 

[OutHouse]

The project?s deadline listed in the class syllabus was Oct. 17, but L.H. was attending a school-approved student council trip to Jacksons Mill in Lewis County from Oct. 15-17.

so if she was GONE on a trip on the 17th when it was due then that means she should have had it done and turned in BEFORE she left for the trip.

pretty cut and dry if you ask me. she was gon Sun, Mon & Tues on the trip. since she would not have been able to work on the project while on the trip she should have had it done and turned in early on Oct 13 which was a Friday.

 

[ElFenix]

Originally posted by: thraashman

Originally posted by: JS80
teacher and school are being unfair, i hope she wins the lawsuit. parents should control schools, not power hungry bureaucrats.

You obviously don't know any teachers. Parents should most certainly NOT control schools. Because first off, teachers have degrees in this stuff. For some reason parents think they know more than students. She had advanced notice that she was going to be absent, and therefore it was HER responsibility to turn the project in early! It's by no means the teacher's fault that the student chose to ignore the turn in date and is trying to use a school trip as an excuse to get extra time that other students did not get.

the school's policy is to accept projects turned in the day after a school trip. everyone on a school trip has advance notice that they'll be away, yet only this one student is penalized for it. as a governmental body, the school and teacher cannot engage in arbitrary and capricious behavior like that.

Originally posted by: Citrix

The project?s deadline listed in the class syllabus was Oct. 17, but L.H. was attending a school-approved student council trip to Jacksons Mill in Lewis County from Oct. 15-17.

so if she was GONE on a trip on the 17th when it was due then that means she should have had it done and turned in BEFORE she left for the trip.

pretty cut and dry if you ask me.

not when the SCHOOL'S POLICY is to accept work the day after the trip that was due during the trip. this one teacher unilaterally changed that rule for one student. the teacher can't do that.

 

[OS]

Originally posted by: thraashman

Originally posted by: JS80
teacher and school are being unfair, i hope she wins the lawsuit. parents should control schools, not power hungry bureaucrats.

You obviously don't know any teachers. Parents should most certainly NOT control schools. Because first off, teachers have degrees in this stuff. For some reason parents think they know more than teachers. She had advanced notice that she was going to be absent, and therefore it was HER responsibility to turn the project in early! It's by no means the teacher's fault that the student chose to ignore the turn in date and is trying to use a school trip as an excuse to get extra time that other students did not get.

lol teachers have generic 4 year degrees plus a teaching credential, it ain't hard to be a teacher.

 

[imported_Imp]

Where do people get the mony for lawyers. I got someone I want to sue now, but lack the will to burn the money.

 

[Mr Incognito]

As long as she doesn't make any money off this and her grade gets changed, I have no problem with this lawsuit. Everyone who is trying to preach how they did it, or how the girl should have turned it in early, you must understand, it's a school policy and hell, if an athlete who was suspended has an extra day, shouldn't the girl with the 4.5 GPA with a legitamte excuse (I don't care how she got the 4.5, parents or not she has it.)

 

[jdoggg12]

Show me where it says it's school policy to allow students to turn in work late for school field trips. In my experience every teacher has their own policy. Some are more strict than others.

When i went away for sports, it depended on the teacher as to whether or not I could turn stuff in late. I mean, who goes on a trip when they have (what is basically) a final due without speaking with the teacher first?

You don't get breaks like this in the working world. Education needs to involve more than academia.