Someone PLEASE help me-- A teacher dropped my A to a C and submitted it as final.

Hi, everyone.

I love English. It’s one of the classes that comes easy to me, because I love it so much. I, however, really dislike my teacher. I tolerated her for the most of it, but she would yell at me for barely talking (like saying “okay”) while others would be much louder, with full blown discussions and drama. I tolerated it, and I shut up in the class, so once I finished the assignments, I read a book. I try to think that I give my full effort in the class, a lot of my classmates don’t really work hard so I often “hard carry” or basically save everyone when it comes to required group projects. I put up with my teacher. Somehow, I managed to get the As until now, and I think I worked my hardest. Now, this teacher— I don’t know where to begin with her.

When I looked at my grade near the end of the school week, she JUST started putting grades in (wow!) and she actually took off points for me not “paying attention/working” in her class although I finished the assignments quickly (with effort) and just read a book after. I never actually didn’t listen in the class. It lowered my grade a little, but not so much to drop me to a B.

The previous Wednesday or so before school ended (so the Wednesday of the prior week of the last week, idk how to phrase it) she assigned a project of 8 pages, which I could do. However, that week, I was out a lot-- I had to makeup my AP exam on May 19, and was out May 18, and etc. Apparently it was due May 19, but she still took it on Monday. I didn’t have it done by that time, so I said I would try to turn it in by that week. Unfortunately, that week I was out a lot too, since the days I didn’t have end of course exams, I had to stay home. So I wasn’t able to turn it in. I wasn’t able to comprehend the seriousness of how much this would be worth at the time, so I thought I would be able to turn it in on that Friday, but didn’t go to school since I had no exams. That day, my mom lashed out on me and I was practically unable to send it to her through email since I was forcefully locked out of my room (grounded, you could say). Saturday and Sunday, although I insisted I stay home to turn something in (the project), I was sent to stay with a few friends with nothing but my phone, so there was another 2 days that I couldn’t submit. That week, also, a family member died. As if it couldn’t get worse, I was completely upset and it left my mind until I got it together that week’s Friday morning and sent it with an explanation. She saw it. She did nothing.

Today I got a email back saying that it was due “two weeks ago”, grades were already finalized, and that there’s nothing that she can do about it. She put in a fat 0, and it lowered my grade to a 73-- a C. I don’t think the last part is right though, last year, a teacher had given me a 50 instead by accident and was able to modify the grade. I turned it in on Friday thinking that the entire week was available for teachers to grade, but I don’t know anymore. None of what I wrote is false, and I just don’t think I deserve this. It dropped so suddenly, that all my tolerating her, went down the drain. I know I should never blame teachers, but some just have prejudice against some students, and she just doesn’t like me for some reason; so I don’t think she’ll budge. It’s still possible to change it, but it probably won’t work through her. Tell me if I’m being the one at wrong here, I’ll understand and accept it.

(*also, I think it’s really important to note that I was absent a lot near the days she gave us to work. I was aware of the assignment, but she did go over things I was not aware of during that time. The days I was out, I was not able to work on the project. Our school gives a “3 day extra to turn in” policy for absences, each day).

Thanks.

It is very unfortunate that you had so much to deal with, and I’m sorry for the loss of your family member. However, in college it’s your responsibility to work out arrangements for late work ahead of time, and it’s at the teacher’s discretion. In not too long that is what you will have to deal with. Take this as a hard-learned lesson before one assignment can drop you from an A to an F.

I had a family member pass away right before finals week, when I had two finals and a big project due on the same day. I notified my prof immediately and worked out a four-day extension.

I also worked hard to complete it well before the new due date because I knew I’d lose an entire day for the funeral.

@bodangles Thank you so much for replying instantly. I really appreciate it. I think you’re right, I will definitely take this as a hard-learned lesson, and it won’t ever leave my mind. I’m just really down about this overall. I know I had a lot of fault in this, but I never expected my grade to drop 2 letter grades. I’m trying to be grown up and accept it for what it is, but some part of me still hurts a lot. Thank you so much for replying, you don’t understand how thankful I am for someone to just write back. My parents are extremely angry and I am completely heartbroken, but I hope it mends soon.

Since you had an A before, I’m sure you’re doing well in school otherwise. One lower grade in a sea of good ones should not affect your GPA too much.

It’ll hurt, but it’ll hurt less the more time passes. By the time you’re in college it probably won’t matter much anymore. After college it’ll be a distant memory.

When in doubt, talk to the teacher now and in the future. Recognize that even if you don’t like someone, they may still have something to teach you. Apologize for any bad behavior, but ask that it not affect the grade on your paper.

Better than my English class in high school. Computer just committed suicide. Teacher said she didn’t care and I went down two letter grades. Which meant I had to retake the class. That same year I got super sick the FIRST 2 WEEKS of a semester and got a WF in Pre-Calc and was sent to TA for a P/NP. Possibly the reason I graduated with the huge difference between a 2.9 and 3.0+. And a whole other slew of things happened…

Not to mention I switched schools where they made me retake classes for no reason (like health) and threw me from a year round to a quarter schedule. And for some dumb reason they talked me out of AP History and AP chemistry when I got As in those classes and made very clear I loved those subjects.

Hated my high school academic career. Everybody can say what they want but I was good student with statistically impossible bad luck. Good thing I have like no emotions because I can see why kids kill themselves over this type of stuff, no joke.

Just gonna say high school “guidance” from counselors/teachers and such is trash 99% of the time.

There’s usually a deadline for entering grades, often aboutbone week after the paper is due. There’s less time for juniors and even less time for seniors.
See if your parents can fight the C by meeting the principal. Even if grades are locked, the principal should be able to 'unlock ’ it. Your parents should channel their anger into methodical defense.
That being said, you’re at fault. You didn’t turn it in, and again, and again, and again.

Also, if you frequently turn things late (like, using the three-day grace period) get evaluated to see if you have ADD inattentive as it’s pretty typical.

In college there’s no grace period. You don’t turn it in at the exact time it’s due (say, 10/6, 11am) then you get a zero.

While true, the student is clearly at fault, so may not get sympathy from the principal. As others have said, in college and in employment, deadlines are deadlines. Sometimes it’s better to beg for forgiveness later rather than ask permission first; this is not one of those times.

OK, my reactions as a mom and a high school teacher:

  • taking out a book when you're done with an assignment is NOT OK. It's rude.
  • how is your teacher supposed to know that you're listening while reading? Listening, real listening, is different from hearing. It's active. You need to put the book down and concentrate on what's being said. English, in particular tends to be a discussion focused class. There's a reason why I don't count class participation in my math grades, but my husband does in his English grades. You chose not to actively participate when you opened up that book.
  • " When I looked at my grade near the end of the school week, she JUST started putting grades in (wow!) " I would imagine that if she missed a deadline on inputting grades, she would have heard from the AP. I'm guessing that you got tests and quizzes back? If not, then why didn't administration hear about it? If so, then you KNEW those grades. All you were missing was class participation. The "wow!" in particular makes me chuckle when I read the rest of your post about the deadlines you missed.
  • Saying "I was out" doesn't absolve you from all responsibility for deadlines. If you were hospitalized, mom should have contacted guidance. If you had a stomach bug, you should have emailed your teacher and asked how she wanted you to hand inthe missed work.
  • "Apparently" it was due May 18??? How did you not know the deadline? And it really doesn't matter, because you missed the deadline and still didn't have it on the 19th. On the math project I assigned to my seniors this year, department policy gave a 20 point deduction for each day it was late.

-" I wasn’t able to comprehend the seriousness of how much this would be worth at the time, "-- Oh, you sound pretty smart to me. I think you were quite able. I think you simply underestimated the seriousness. There’s a huge difference.

  • Next, "mom lashed out" on you. Not your fault yet again, this time it's mom's fault you were grounded?? You still take no responsibility for whatever got you grounded???

OK, I’ll stop here. Bottom line: the biggest part of growing up is taking responsibility for your own actions. Time and time again in your post, things are other people’s fault.

This was YOUR grade, YOUR education, YOUR responsibility. You dropped the ball time and time again. Take the grade you earned, and learn from it.

@latiere : any update?

Yes, sorry for getting back to everyone so late. And I’d also like to genuinely apologize how immature I was in my original post. I know I sound rude but at the time I posted the first message I was in complete denial, I thought that I didn’t deserve this and that it was unfair. I’ve since then understood that it was my mistake. I admit it. I accept it. I brought my own downfall by beginning to slack at the very end. It’s a lesson to be more punctual, to stop blaming others for my own mistakes. This is something that I’ll never repeat in my life, and in a way, perhaps I should be thankful that this happened in high school and not in college where grades are probably extremely important for the career I’m interested in. It was definitely my fault and I should have never done that in the first place. So this is first and foremost an apology to everyone because I truly thought that I wasn’t in the wrong at first, but after reading all your responses, particularly @bjkmom 's, I didn’t know some of my actions really could offend others and that I’ll try to never do it again. I got a C final for the quarter, but because I got a A the previous quarter and an A on the exam final, I’ll have a B overall, which I wouldn’t be upset about if I hadn’t already had Bs. I got another B this quarter for Calculus, but I studied 4/5 hours a day for that class and worked my hardest so I’m not upset. I’ve also had Bs from 8th grade show up, and that was also once a big concern, but I learned to forget it.



I’m going to try my best to boost my GPA that has fallen with a positive mind, but I want to ask that is the number of Bs valued more than your unweighted GPA? I’m going to try and get it up to a 3.96 unweighted by taking online classes to my advantage, but I’m not sure if the number of Bs will be such a problem. I’ve already calculated it and it looks feasible for me. Lastly, I want to add that I won’t fight the decision, we just tried asking the counselor and he said no within minutes so I think his decision is final and I’m okay with that. It’s just that, I am angry at my past self because this was something I should have seen coming, but I was careless and stupid. It’ll take a bit of time for me to really let go of it, but for the time being I’ll focus on other interests.



Thanks again.

Wow.

It’s so very refreshing to see a post like yours.

We all make mistakes. We all fly off the handle. We all over react.

But it’s so rare to see someone post online to strangers something like what you have.

Kudos.