Former student sues University over grade

[rvm]

Former Student Sues Lehigh University over a C+. Hmmm.... maybe she should have asked for a Red Ryder carbine-action, two hundred shot Range Model air rifle with a compass in the stock and written a better theme.

[merolpn]

Hmmm.... maybe she should have asked for a Red Ryder carbine-action, two hundred shot Range Model air rifle with a compass in the stock and written a better theme.

A + + + + + + + + + + + + + + FAHHH-RA-RA-RA-RA NO.....NOT Fah rara.......it's LALALA.

The TV stays on that movie non-stop at Christmas in my house. The only person responsible for more gun sales than that movie is Barack Obama.

I can't believe that a lawyer actually took this absolutely ridiculous case.

[Daithi]

I read over the case, and I'm not so sure it is ridiculous. The university mandated a class as a prerequisite to earning a degree and required a certain grade in that course. The professor gave her a C+ which was just below the grade required. Maybe the girl deserved the grade. Maybe she didn't. However, pursuing a masters degree is very time consuming and very expensive. If the professor was blackballing the student for reasons other than grades then the student should be allowed to make her case.

I've seen professors penalize students for personality conflicts, or political views, and a few decades ago they used to do this for race, sexual preference, and religion (some still may be doing this). The student has virtually no recourse if they get blackballed by a vindictive professor, and in this case it wasn't just a single course but was a course that would determine if she earned her master's or not.

[Publius]

The TV stays on that movie non-stop at Christmas in my house. The only person responsible for more gun sales than that movie is Barack Obama.

hilarious That's a good one!

[merolpn]

I read over the case, and I'm not so sure it is ridiculous.

The Judge thought it was.

Pa. judge rejects Lehigh University student's lawsuit over C-plus grade in graduate school | Fox News

http://www.wkyc.com/news/national/283727...er-C-grade


So apparently it was like this:
Student gets FREE tuition because dad is a professor.
Student does not act professionally in class, receives a zero for participation.
Final grade adds up to a C+ (too low)
Student does not consider ....A) switching schools (NOT FREE) ........ B) Repeating the class (Probably cost money to repeat a passed class)
Student decides that the best course of action is litigation on the premise that the professor "Gave" her a zero because the professor did not agree with the student's advocacy for gay and lesbian rights.
Student felt the damages totaled $1.3 MILLION

Judge rules against student.

The student missed the point. You earn grades, they are not "given" to you. If you go through life feeling entitled or that everyone is is out to get you, life will be pretty rough.

[Jonathan Whatley]

The Judge thought it was.

Pa. judge rejects Lehigh University student's lawsuit over C-plus grade in graduate school | Fox News

Judge rejects student's lawsuit over C+ grade | wkyc.com

He might have thought it was ridiculous, or not. Neither of these sources, nor the Easton Express Times story they cite in turn, say anything about the judge's ruling other than that he ruled against the student. Just because a judge rules against one side in a case doesn't mean that they think that side's position is "ridiculous."

[ryoder]

I would be worried about discrimination over my capitalist western world view which is not tolerated by many professors.

[OE800_85]

You can challenge any grade with the dean and other independent bodies. I've done it before. It's a very good process. I think it's ridiculous this student took this issue to court instead of dealing with it the proper way. My father had a particular issue with one professor who graded him unfairly, and it was sent to the dean of his department, and he decided to mark it himself. He said it deserved an a, and let the original professor know. What's so difficult about that?

The vast majority of the academic world is open to hearing ideas, and grading fairly based on merit. The few who aren't are ruining education, and we have systems in place to get around them.

[cannoda]

You can challenge any grade with the dean and other independent bodies. I've done it before.

In some universities, only the instructor can change the grade unless the instructor is no longer affiliated with the university.

In such a case, if the instructor is tenured and is willing to stick to their guns in the face of pressure from a chair or dean, the student is stuck. He or she could sue, of course.

However, in a case where a dean believed that a student got a raw deal, I've seen the dean authorize a retroactive withdrawal from a course with a grade of W AND a full refund, and offer a free retake of the course with another instructor. But he was not in a position to simply change the grade.

The other situation where I have seen a grade changed over an instructor's objection involved a course grade sanction for cheating. The student appealed to the student judiciary process and the judiciary committee found the sanction to be too harsh for the circumstances. They restored the grade the student had before the sanction, and imposed a different penalty.

[OE800_85]

I'm not sure what school you went to, but if you fill out the proper paperwork, most schools will allow your work to be independently graded by another professor/dean. Even TESC does this. I had an issue with my mentor and I got the dean involved, he looked at my work and I was given a new grade. You shouldn't need to take crap from people when they're simply "wrong" and should fight for your rights. It's the very principle this nation was founded on.