Guilty Until Proven Innocent, Part 2

(I have missed almost three months of school due to a recurring illness. My senior paper for AP English is due at the end of the year. Even though I missed a lot of school, I spent the entire weekend pouring over books and finally writing out my 15-page paper only hours before it is due. After my teacher hands them back I see I have a 92% that has been scratched out and a 0 instead.)

Me: *walking up to the teacher* “Excuse me, but is there a reason I got a 92% but suddenly got a 0 on this paper?

Teacher: *takes my paper and flips through it lightly before handing it back* “You plagiarized. You have an in-paper citation that does not match your citation page.”

Me: *completely dumbstruck* “I didn’t plagiarize anything! Can you please show me which citation is incorrect?”

Teacher: *snatches back the paper, flips a few pages, and points to the citation* “THIS one is not on your citation page. I am considering taking this up with the honors society and having you stripped of your honors classes and your graduation.”

Me: *looking it over while she speaks, slightly panicked, I point to the citation page* “It’s right here. I did make a mistake, though. I put their first name instead of their last name. See? There is their name; it was just an error of putting a first name instead of a last name on the citation.”

Teacher: *looks it over and gets a sour look on her face* “All right… If you can fix it and turn it in within the next few hours I will change the grade and reconsider taking you to the honor board for plagiarism…”

(I immediately run off to the library and fix the error. I turn it back in about five minutes later.)

Me: “Here you are.”

Teacher: *snatches it again and looks it over, putting an 89% on it, denying me my A grade* “You should have done it right the first time!” *throwing the paper back at me*

(I ended up just barely passing the class and graduating despite missing almost half a year of school due to sickness throughout several semesters. I later found out she had wanted to fail me because my attendance was so bad. She felt I was unworthy to be in AP classes. She also got in hot water for giving preferential treatment to students who never would have qualified for honors!)