Can this possibly be academically legal?

[jedusor]

I just got a breakdown of my grade so far in my sex class. There are four factors in the overall grade for the course: attendance, exams, group projects, and the final presentation.


Attendance: The only way to get an A for attendance is to arrive on time every class period. She's very strict about attendance- she reads the roll at two o'clock, and if you get there after that (even if she's still reading the roll, but has gotten past your name) she marks you late. One tardy equals a B for attendance.

Exams: She's grading on a 4.0 scale, so each of my six As counts as 4 points and my single B counts as 3 points. Added together, that's 27 out of a possible 28. Divided by the total number of exams, it's 3.9. That counts as a B. So I got a B for the exams as a whole, despite only getting one B out of seven tests. Okaaay...

Group projects: This hasn't been completely tallied, but it looks like I'll get a B. Group projects suck.

Final presentation: I haven't given it yet.


She gives each of these four factors equal weight, and calculates the final grade using the 4.0 system as well, meaning that (like with the quizzes) one B and three As equals a B for the course.

That means that being one second late to one class session would completely eradicate a student's chance of getting an A in this course.

I said this incredulously to the teacher, and she shrugged and said, "If that's how it adds up."

Comments

[therobbergirl.livejournal.com]

Oh Gawd, I sure don't miss the arbitrary nature of the tinpot dictatorship that is the hallmark of high school and undergrad education.

It is sex class. Perhaps you could come in late with a disheveled appearance and a just-laid grin, saying, "Sorry, I was doing the lab."

[jeffurrynpl.livejournal.com]

I'm not the biggest hardass professor in the United States! Woohoo!

If you're early in the alphabet you can get her on alphabetic discrimination.

[saffroncisco.livejournal.com]

That's insane. I would complain to someone higher up.

[gerald_duck]

I see no reason why attendance should be any part of the grade, frankly.

[dacrons-lair.livejournal.com]

In the words of my esteemed colored alter-ego Jerome:

"Yo, dat's sum fucked up shit, right there. Fucked up."

-M

[jeffurrynpl.livejournal.com]

It's not the attendance part that bothers me; I'm required to take attendance and include it in my students' grades. I don't understand, though, why the only way to get an A is a 4.0. That would mean that the only way to get an A is to get an A on every single part of everything, and that just doesn't make sense.

[ennienyc.livejournal.com]

Right, I don't get how 3.9 on the exams comes out to a B.

[breathing-awake.livejournal.com]

wtf, worst teacher ever. That attendance rule is FAR too strict, and how is a 3.9 a B? Even a 3.7 is an A-...? :( Confusing.

Oh, and also, that last comment by her = RIDICULOUS.