Former student sues University over grade

[OpenRoot]

Wow, reading this makes me really appreciate that I've never had a grading issue that couldn't be resolved by talking directly to the professor. The only serious issue I did have was an English instructor who refused to believe that I wrote a paper myself. It was the first assignment of the semester and I spent a lot of time on it. I invited her to run the paper through anti-plagiarism software, which she deeemed "unnecessary." The situation was ultimately resolved when (upon my request) I submitted a second writing sample penned while she watched. We had no other issues and I aced the course. I will say that it sucks to feel you've been unfairly treated by the teacher, especially when you're both adults!

[Daithi]

I once had a History professor who had a PhD in History, and she mentioned that when the Spaniards began colonizing the New World that they prohibited Spanish women from emigrating to the New World so that the Spanish men would integrate with the native population which would help to subjugate them and make ruling over them easier. I had never heard this before, and it just didn't feel likely to me, although I supposed it could have been true. In any event, I asked if it was possible that the reason the Spanish didn't send their women to the New World was because they wanted to protect their women from what they perceived as "savages," and Spanish integration with the indigenous population resulted as a consequence of this and not as a pre-planned policy? I was polite and hadn't intended to be confrontational, but, oh my goodness, she went ballistic. She took my question very personally and just ripped into me in front of the entire class. She reminded that she had a doctorate in history and this was an area of her expertise and that I should keep that in mind. On my next paper I received a "C," which I was sure I didn't deserve. In the end I just dropped her class. I didn't bother complaining to the Dean or any other such nonsense. I certainly didn't sue. However, I wasn't in a situation where this one professor's opinion was going to make or break me. I suppose this is why I can identify with someone who has a professor that lets personality conflicts color their treatment of a student.

[OE800_85]

Your experience is all too common. There's a difference between respecting our teachers and being subservient to them. Isn't that the whole point of academia, to learn enough to question and be critical? Such teachers who are so closed to the thoughts of their students' inquisitive minds are not helping the profession. This is even more reason to speak out and deal with this behavior, instead of sweeping it under the rug. Just my two cents.