Anyhow, the parent asks:
We would rather not see him have a D or F on his report card. Now that baseball has ended, is there still time if he were to do after school work or before school work to raise his grade, or is his situation a "lost cause" with no way to recover?So I reply that I am there every single day before and after school to get some help. And that there are homework grades left, a quiz, and a final exam, so all hope is not lost. This kid has never taken advantage of the time. Then I get this:
If he is unable to undo the damage done by this last test, is there a way around a possible D or F. One of ******'s friends recommend to take the class for credit only.. does that mean anything to you.I write back that I believe the rule is you can't take a class credit/no credit unless the student is a senior or junior, and it must be approved during the first two weeks of a quarter because we don't want kids doing poorly, and after the fact decide that they don't want it on their transcript.
I verify this with a counselor, and tell the counselor who I am refering to. He says that the rules could be bent if the teacher feels it appropriate. I tell him that it isn't in this case, and that I can understand if a kid goes through real trouble with sickness/death in the family, etc. He agrees.
Well on the afternoon before the finals, I have about 25 kids in my room asking questions. The student comes and tells me that his mother is out in the hall and would like to talk to me. She butters me up with "thank you for communicating with us so much" and so on, and asks about his grade. When she finds out that not much has changed, I'm sensing panic in her voice. Then she tells me that her son's counselor says that you can give him a credit/no credit if you would like to. She now is crying, and I have to tell her no, that it isn't appropriate at this point. Now kids are coming out into the hall to give me hints and a teacher walks by and rolls his eyes at the parent to give me a bit of sympathy. She then is worried that he won't make it into college! My goodness, it is one of 92 quarter grades that he will get in his high school career, get a handle on yourself lady!
I'm absolutely pissed that the counselor sent her my way. All he had to do was hide behind the rule. This kid is a freshman and he's waited the day before the final to ask about a credit/no credit grade so the "D" or so won't affect his grade point average. But, no, he sends the parent down to me to put me on the spot in front of 25 other students. A letter to the counselors and the principal is on its way.
4 comments:
Wow! Unbelievable on so many levels! Good job on holding your ground.
This sort of situation is quite frustrating. There are counselors who will shield teachers, but there are too many who think they are in some sort of alliance with parents and kids against evil teachers. Shouldn't be.
jd2718
This mother was CRYING? Over a poor quarter grade? That sound you hear is helicopter blades whirling overhead.
First, where was all of the concern when the kid was missing loads of class but not attempting to make up the work?
Second, that counselor? He also works at MY school, but as a woman. Must be a cross-dresser.
Third, you have REALLY not had a fun time with the grades this year, have you?
Fourth, if this students doesn't learn to take responsibility and manage numerous time crunches now, that lady is NOT going to have to worry about whether junior gets into Harvard.
you did the right thing. no doubt they should have to play by the same rules as everyone else.
i had a similar thing happen at the end of the school year with a student who got an 85 on the final, but still failed the course for the semester. i would not budge and would not change the 67 to a 70 to pass.
the parent said, 'i will take this all the way to the top!' i said, 'take it. they can change it, but i NEVER will.'
Sometimes you just have to hold steady. When counselors and admin drive you crazy, you hold your ground because it's what makes you be able to sleep at night.
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