That Is Some Grade A Blame Deflection
Summer vacation is upon us, sort of, and, for financial reasons, I still have not retired.
In this modern world, all grades are recorded using an online system accessible to parents and students at all times– even times when I, the teacher, cannot access it– so there is really no reason for a parent to be surprised by a grade for a quarter or for a school year.
And yet, they often are.
I finalized the grades for my senior advanced calculus/differential equations, which is a college-level, college credit course, a level or two beyond AP and IB, offered for advanced students.
I had a blissfully peaceful first day of vacation before starting my summer job (a completely different kind of WTF). I did not get the three days I was hoping for, as 7 AM today, day two, I got a call.
From the Vice Principal.
“There is a PROBLEM and the parent wants it RESOLVED. IMMEDIATELY.”
The child received a B- in the class, and this “is not SUFFICIENT” to get credit at his university, and it is my job to “RECTIFY this.”
The child in question missed forty days of school without any meaningful excuse during the year. This does not include religious holidays or actual days out sick. As well as roughly the same number of late arrivals. I explained to the VP that still earning a B- attests to the intelligence of the child given that attendance, but that is what he earned, and as far as I am concerned, it will stand. End of call one, by my hanging up.
The calls continued through the day, the next focused on why I didn’t address the attendance issue earlier in the school year, and he should not be penalized since I didn’t address it. It took about half an hour to get her to accept that dealing with attendance is HER job, as admin, not mine, and she had no response when I asked her why it wasn’t dealt with, even though the record was clear, and I did the required actions to inform her. End of call two.
There were several more calls, ensuring that I was kept thoroughly annoyed until nearly 4 PM, all addressing assorted other ploys to get me to admit that giving a zero for work not submitted or not made up, and the grade earned on assignments and tests completed, was some form of conspiracy on my part.
In the end, she gave up. I have no idea if she changed the grade of her own accord, as I am locked out of the system for the “week” of summer maintenance that will last until a couple days after school reopens in two months, but I will note that she snaps her gum incessantly while leading meetings, using a microphone.
I can’t wait to be able to retire next year (I hope).
