Student Sues School District For Getting Bad Grade In Class: Would This Lawsuit Stand In Count?

by (▪‿▪)DoctorWhoGuru(▪‿▪) Posted 2012/07/26 03:20:06

Related Topics: School, Boy, Teacher, Student, Lawsuit, District, Sue, Education, 2012, Class

39 votes
Read all 23 opinions
View Results and Demographics + View Demographics

Loading Demographics... Click an icon to see demographic results Display unknown and private
	Yes	8 votes	21%
	No	25 votes	64%
	Undecided	6 votes	15%

The suit claims the grade was not indicative of Bethards' academic achievements, but rather was the result of a personal vendetta the teacher had against the boy.

Add a comment above

penguins in the night 2012/07/26 03:33:30

Undecided

+4
I want to say "no", however, if the teacher did agree to allow the student to make-up the lab and then just suddenly changed her mind they might have something there. I just think it's a bit ridiculous that they asking for $10,000 instead of a change in the grade and an apology...I'd try to sneak in a demand for a stellar letter of recommendation to any college if it were me but whatever.
>> See Replies

More polls by (▪‿▪)DoctorWhoGuru(▪‿▪)

La 2012/08/09 02:17:24

Undecided

Pretty sure there are internal review procedures within a school to check if he deserved that grade.

reply
Vieuphoria 2012/07/30 13:05:38

No

+1
I mean't to click 'undecided'.

If there is some person is trying ruin the students grades then something needs to be done.

I don't think 10,000 is the thing though

reply
D.C.Verdone 2012/07/26 14:22:30

Yes

+1
But only if it is true that the grade was unfair because of the teachers dislike for the student.

reply
Lady Whitewolf 2012/07/26 12:56:03

No

+2
Bull... if he was TOO LAZY to study and get good grades, that's HIS problem.

reply
Michelle 2012/07/26 06:23:08 (edited)

Undecided

+1
"According to the report, Bethards claims the issue began when he missed a chemistry lab to attend an adoption hearing for his younger sister at the Contra Costa County Superior Courthouse on May 27 of that year. The suit claims both Bethards and his mother informed Carlock of the absence and were assured the teen could make up the lab at a later date.

Instead, Bethards claims Carlock changed her mind, saying she was going to fail him. Despite being assured by the school's principal, Ted Barone, that the matter would be resolved, Bethard's received a failing grade for his chemistry lab, allegedly taking his overall grade from an A+ to a C+."

If his claim is true, he definitely has a case which should have been brought to the school board's attention. His only proof would be witnesses, though. But I must say, a student who had an A+ dropping down to a C+ is irregular, and does not just happen just by the student's actions very often.

reply
cmdrbnd007 2012/07/26 06:17:35

Yes

+3
You know I was going to say no until I actually read the story. The teacher was suspended until her retirement a few months away. That pretty much sums up the case for me. Obviously, the school thought that she was in the wrong and this is no small thing. There is a huge difference between an A+ and a C+ when it comes time for colleges and universities to start looking at his academic career. The teacher sounds like a petty old shrew and it is probably best all around that she is no longer teaching.

reply
keelan 2012/07/26 05:39:34

Yes

+1
a buglar sued the one they were robbing for beating them

reply
kiera 2012/07/26 05:31:49

Undecided

+2
who knows what the teacher was thinking? but why sue over a bad grade? why not just ask to retake the test? that is a big overreaction

reply
Glfer65 2012/07/26 04:53:45

No

+2
This is what is wrong with our education system and more importantly how parents and students act when they d not get what they want instead of the student earning it. Now if they have proof of the teachers vendetta which I highly doubt then it should be up to the board to decide what to do.

If my father saw my grades and seen a failing one he would say buck up and study more if you do not understand ask the teacher or a friend in the class for help. Seriously to sue for getting a bad grade?????

reply
cmdrbnd007 to Glfer65 2012/07/26 06:20:22

Did you read the actually story? He was making an A+ in the class and because of that grade ended up with a C+. The teacher was suspended until her retirement a few months later. Obviously, the school thought she did something wrong. The difference between an A+ and a C+ could mean the difference between a great university and one that isn't as good. This is the kids future we are talking about.

reply
Glfer65 to cmdrbnd007 2012/07/26 16:19:57

+1
The teacher apparently was not a consistent one and awarded those who actually excelled in her class. We do not know the whole part of the day he was absent other than him telling the teacher he need to be somewhere else.

Obviously it was important to him to be there and should have been given the chance to make up the day. For whatever reason the teacher decided not to give him the chance. I am sure more will come up in court and see what the underlying objective was.

reply
cmdrbnd007 to Glfer65 2012/07/26 18:07:23

+1
It sounds like that teacher should have retired several years ago.

reply
Glfer65 to cmdrbnd007 2012/07/27 00:22:12

+1
Quite true but again every job has its bad apples that can hide thier bruses well.

reply
cmdrbnd007 to Glfer65 2012/07/27 04:54:02

This is true.

reply
Jackal 2012/07/26 04:15:33
Jdogg 2012/07/26 04:14:28

No

+3
I don't think it would.

reply
sjalan 2012/07/26 04:12:11

Yes

+3
This is 50 years ago, but the same thing happened to me. I fought back by exposing the teachers plagarism of a well know science magazines youth projects in the back of each issue. He copied them word for word without giving credit to the magazine. The I told the dean of Boys if I didn't get an "A" in the class I'd take it to the Board of the school district.

See I was just to damned smart for my own good. I'd recognized the material the first day of class and challenged the course. "NO ONE CHALLENGES MY COURSE" was the teachers response. The next day I brought in a notebook with everyone of the exercises detailed in it. :) I just loved the look on his face. Pick the book out of his hands and went to the princpal and dean to challenge the class.

I was give physics instead of the advanced science course.

reply
terrabytes 2012/07/26 04:10:36

No

+3
Don't think the student would be able to meet the burden of proof, but I am not a lawyer so who knows?

reply
MlssCue =Go Blue= 2012/07/26 04:04:13

No

+3
Unfortunately this is nothing new, although the teacher's are next to never reprimanded for it, because they can say x, y & z is what caused this student to get a bad grade & sadly since that teacher has control of those grades it's going to be very hard to prove they did so out of spite.

A son of a close friend had his football scholarship to Ohio State dropped because he failed a test in a certain class & though my friend begged the teacher to have a little mercy & allow him to retake it, it was a no go. I can see in a regular setting that being done, but when a kid is looking at losing his scholarship to college, therefore, won't be able to go to college it would be nice if some had a heart & give them one last shot....but on the other hand, that student should have worked hard the first time around...very difficult call.

reply
penguins in the night 2012/07/26 03:33:30

Undecided

+4
I want to say "no", however, if the teacher did agree to allow the student to make-up the lab and then just suddenly changed her mind they might have something there. I just think it's a bit ridiculous that they asking for $10,000 instead of a change in the grade and an apology...I'd try to sneak in a demand for a stellar letter of recommendation to any college if it were me but whatever.

reply
NoHandlebarsAttached 2012/07/26 03:32:47

No

+2
Unless the punishment for failing is a beating from the teacher.

reply
Mark In Irvine 2012/07/26 03:21:22

Undecided

+2
i doubt it BUT i could be wrong ... i don't know all the facts

reply
NPC 2012/07/26 03:21:00

Yes

+2
You never know what the circumstances were ?

reply