<p>Has anyone ever experienced this?</p>
<p>My son's Chemistry teacher, in a class where he got 104% in class and 110% in lab where he was a lab assistant for 10 hours a week, refused to write him a letter of recommendation when he let her know he wanted the AFA. "Oh, I'm against the war," was the reason she gave.</p>
<p>He has plenty of other recs but I was really surprised by this.</p>
<p>Unfortunately this happens. Your best course of action is to smile, and move on. Nothing you say or do is going to change this person's mind. If that was a specific letter of rec required by the admisssions office (not sure what AFA wants), have your son contact the office and let the representative assigned to your son know what has occurred.</p>
<p>What does her feelings on the war having to do with your son wanting to go to AFA????? </p>
<p>When my son applied to Navy, the only letters they wanted were from his junior math and english teachers. Unless the AFA is different, I don't think he needs anything else.</p>
<p>Well, what can you say, except that some people are idiots. Some people cannot disconnect other peoples' desires from their own judgements. It's rather sad that a teacher would be that ignorant and judgemental, but it is what it is.</p>
<p>Too bad, but those things do happen. But if the teacher strongly felt so negatively, it is probably better they told you rather than write a negative 'recommendation' which would have done your son no good.</p>
<p>The bad news is that this does happen- you are not alone-</p>
<p>The good news is that this teacher did you a favor-
better a "no letter" upfront than a "tainted" one that can hurt....</p>
<p>So count your blessings on this one and move on to someone else.</p>
<p>take it to the principle and the superintendent. this is extremely unprofessional on the teacher's part.<br>
Remember the school district works for you - regardless if it is public or private.</p>
<p>Look for a different teacher. This in not one you want any recommendation from for any college you apply to. BTW it is up to the teacher whetheror not they feel they can write a rec for a student. He/She may actually have other reasons rather than what was stated or will tell the administration "other reasons." I would not recommending elevating this - it could and probably would get ugly.</p>
<p>How about: </p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Would not use that teacher for a recommendation, but whatever the real reason, it is extremely unprofessional and should be reported.</p>
<p>Time out here.</p>
<p>Receiving a letter of recommendation is not a right, it is a priviledge. </p>
<p>Teachers often decline to write such letters because they do not feel that they can write a truthful and positive one. </p>
<p>Colleges get to "know" the writers and will dismiss letters from those who consistently misrepresent the qualities of the individuals they are "recommending".</p>
<p>Better to have a truthful and positive letter, than a plain vanilla one that says nothing about the candidate.</p>
<p>Respect the teacher's right to decline, and move on to one with whom you have a better relationship and who will be happy to put your special qualities in the best (and still truthful) light.</p>
<p>Good Luck,
CM</p>
<p>candidatemom is right on spot</p>
<p>Writing letter of recommendation are not a requirement of a teaching position. They are personal requests by the students and a personal favor awarded back from the educators. Teachers, employers etc are under no obligation to perform this service.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Better to have a truthful and positive letter, than a plain vanilla one that says nothing about the candidate.
[/quote]
Or than to have the teacher sit on it and never submit one when you think it has been done.</p>
<p>Well I guess I have a different view of a letter of recommendaiton.
This should not be something that teachers do for their "favorites" - it should not be personal. This should be a professional assessment of the student as a student in the classroom not a love letter.<br>
I think it should be a letter of "assessment" vs a letter of "recommendation".</p>
<p>West Point requires a recommendation from 11th grade Math, Science and English teachers. They provide a form with a check list to assess the candidate -
I can't remember the exact questions but something along the like of on a scale of 1-5 assess the students leadership in the classroom, and so forth.
There was also a space for teacher comments.</p>
<p>Now, a teacher who is truly a professional can assess the student without personalities getting involved. Personalities, politics and even the grades a student received should have nothing to do with the ability to write a recommendation.</p>
<p>For the teacher in question, to refuse to write a letter of recommendation for a student based on the school to which the student is applying is extremely unprofessional. As a parent, this would certainly cause me to have a conversation with that teacher's boss. By ignoring this situation you allow this teacher to continue to act in an unprofessional manner.</p>
<p>With that all being said - **** happens. You can't get blood from a stone - move onto another teacher - if you still have problems call admissions they have been dealing with LOR problems for years.</p>
<p>Both my husband (who is actively Teaching) and I have written our fair share of "assessment" recommendation letters. Call them what you want. An employer will not be happy if all you remark on is classroom performance - they want "personal" evaluations. So they got good grades - did well in lab - that tells the employer absolutely nothing. Most employers and even professors when evaluation an undergrad for their graduate program and possible RA money they ask for personal opinions of things even outside the classroom - are they well liked, do they work well in team environments, are they just book smart or can they think outside the box, would you hire them are just a few that are ask, if the "Assessor" can not that answer with a positive they should decline the request. Nothing unprofessional about turning down a students request for the evaluation. What this teacher said should have never been stated - would have been better to just say no. </p>
<p>You may feel better taking it to a higher level but it won't get you the "Assessment" you desire for you kiddo and will most likely not get the teacher the any disciplinary action. It is what it is.</p>
<p>Well now, in order to save everyone the time and trouble, each candidate should write their own letter of recommendation, leave a spot for a signature then go around to all of their teachers and ask for a signature.<br>
The candidate can them make themselves look as perfect as possible - of course leaving out any negatives or areas of needed growth.<br>
Don't forget to enclose an envelope. All the teacher needs to do then is sign the letter, put it in the envelope and sign the back.
Voila!</p>
<p>^^^defeats the purpose</p>
<p>I agree that it was extremely unprofessional. I am just glad that someone who cannot separate their political views from their efforts to educate and help students is not a soc. sci. teacher! I believe that anyone unwilling to give a fair assessment of the skills and abilities of their pupils, regardless of conlficts of opinion, is not worthy of being a teacher. (i.e. this whole situation makes me angry) It is probably better not to have gotten a letter from such a person.</p>
<p>^^^^was meant to be sarcastic ----</p>
<p>My point which was ignored is that SOME academies - i.e. West Point - do not allow you to pick and choose your favorite teacher for your recommendation.</p>
<p>West Point wants to try to get an honest and fair assessment of the student from core teachers.</p>
<p>Botton line, the kid got a 104% and then volunteered 10 hours a week for a grade of 110%. He worked his butt off. He deserves a letter of recommendation. To be blown off with the excuse that was given, in the system where I teach, would get teachers fired and they would deserve it. For a kid who apparently did what he did, priviledge my a$$. He deserves a recommendation, or a least a valid reason as to why the teacher cannot give a good one.</p>
<p>JustAMomOf4, I was kind of wondering about that, sorry.</p>
<p>^^^^^^^^ Why? If a teacher is so unprofessional and lazy to either use the above reason as a valid reason or use that reason rather than sitting down and giving the kid the real reason, they would probably have no problem signing anything they were handed. Might be worth a try.</p>
<p>I posted this some 2 years ago- but we had a similiar experience with our son's 11th grade calc teacher. He refused to give a letter of recommendation, since our son did not "request" it during the "last week of junior year".... waiting, instead, until the first week of senior year to request the letter. </p>
<p>Appealed to the principle, with no luck. Teachers on strike at the time- so a few were not bending no matter what. Our son's english teacher honored his request- his math teacher saw fit not to do the same- for anyone. </p>
<p>Appealed to the director of the math dept- who had taught our son in 10th grade and knew him (and dare I say the teacher in question) "well." She wrote a lovely letter (never did see it, but the principle passed along the word.) Our son informed his BGO that he was using someone other than the 11th grade math teacher, and the reason why- just in case it became an issue. (apparently it didn't, or if it did, we were not privy to it). </p>
<p>Bottom line: don't push it. If the teachers aren't cooperative, speak to the principle and see if there is another option. There are fantastic teachers out there that will bend over backwards to help you if you have earned it.... and, unfortunately, there are some who should put down their chaulk and erasers because they could care less, even when you have earned it in their classroom too. </p>
<p>Best of luck!</p>