HS teachers against student athletes...

[maksoftball]

So...DD has this AP Physics teacher who does not hide his "hatred" for HS sports and their coaches. DD carries a 97 average in this class. They had a HS tournament today that pulled them out of classes all day today. She missed 3 tests. She spoke with all 3 of them on Tuesday...offering to take test early. Two of them were like "No problem...you can take on Friday during class...no need to stay after". AP Physics..."Okay makeup test will be next week...I haven't decided when yet."

Catch? End of grading period is Friday, tomorrow. So if she takes test next week, she will receive an Incomplete as a grade for 6 weeks. As a result, she cannot play. Period...not until she takes test, and teacher updates the grade. Make up test date has now been decided for Tuesday, after school. She misses the FIRST district game of the season. NOT cool.

Just wondering if any others have dealt with teachers like this?

 

[Cannonball]

I can't speak for your school but this is not how it works here. The end of a grading period is a specific date. There are days figured next week for makups and then the grades are submitted like on a Tuesday. Teachers get grades back on a Wednesday for any final changes. Grades are then set on Thursday. If you have some problem here, you had better believe I'd be calling the Principal.

 

[JAD]

Is the coach, AD, and principle aware of this?

 

[Me_and_my_big_mouth]

I can't speak for your school but this is not how it works here. The end of a grading period is a specific date. There are days figured next week for makups and then the grades are submitted like on a Tuesday. Teachers get grades back on a Wednesday for any final changes. Grades are then set on Thursday. If you have some problem here, you had better believe I'd be calling the Principal.

I would be calling the school, too. That's just ridiculous. My DD would be devastated.

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[maksoftball]

Is the coach, AD, and principle aware of this?

The coaches are aware of this. According to DD, the school allows it, and there is nothing the Coach or AD can do about it. I disagree but this is a fine line as out of school tournaments are rare: softball has two that takes them out all day Thursday...basketball is mostly on Saturdays...not sure about VB. It just so happens that this tournament occurs right on the line of cut off for the 6 week grading period. Anyhow, I am not a parent to call school about these issues. I encourage my kids to advocate for themselves. DD is upset about it BUT she insists that one game isn't going to kill her...she would rather take the makeup test for good grade than take a zero for a 79 in the class. I just wondered if any other parents encountered this...and I wonder if she isn't out of place to speak up more about it. She truly thinks that nothing she says/does will make a difference this late in the process. I dunno...I thought about writing an email to the principal/athletic director and the superintendent. That is the direction my mind is going even though DD would rather handle it her way...

 

[gdc03120]

I'm a new HS teacher myself (7th grade) and have coached Modified sports this past winter. I know I was slightly tougher on my boys who were academically 'borderline' but that was because I needed to be to ensure they were eligible to play by doing what needed to be done to succeed. My philosophy - if the students are doing what they need to be doing satisfactorily, then who am I to keep them ineligible? If not, then a talk/meeting/email to the coach is in order. Athletics (school-sanctioned) are a PRIVILEGE, not a right whatsoever.

 

[pjshaff]

Daughter had a teacher fall of her sophomore year that figured the athletes should be spending as much time studying for this class as they did practicing and playing the sports they were in. And would say things like that during class. Mind you, this teacher taught an AP Math class and never had any issues with the athletes and their grades (according to DD).
DD was very happy that she wasn't playing softball when she took this class.

She had a teammate take the same class this past fall and the girl had such issues with the teacher that her parents took it up with the school administration. (and the teammate had a high grade too)

 

[Cannonball]

Teachers have a contractual day. I have to be in my classroom 30 minutes before school starts and 45 minutes after students leave. I have additional duties since I am security in the morning and along with our school resource officer, I check all IDs as people enter our school. (Don't even try to get past me!) Anyway, along with home room, teachers are to offer make up tests during any of these times. Also, our Principals often proctor tests when deadlines arrive. Every school has one or two teachers that are anti athletics. However, believe me, they have professional duties that they are to adhere to and they can't hold approved athletic contest against students. I'm absolutely positive if you go to the Principal or Superintendent, that teacher will get called in.

I have to relate this story. When I started teaching at my present HS, I was hired to coach baseball but they also fired the girl's basketball coach. I know I'm repeating myself but the girl's basketball program had averaged 3 wins for 10 years straight. They were terrible. So, I went to work and these remarkable girls somehow were able to survive our grueling practices. I don't think many people can really understand what one of my practices is like. Anyway, we were contending for a conference championship but had over an hour bus ride to play this game. So, we had to leave school early. The team we were to play had a 90 game home winning streak. We won that game and the conference. We were all so happy. Well, our AP Science Teacher gave a surprise test after my senior center left the classroom. She then refused to let this young lady make up the test. It got nasty and I lost my cool and made a scene in this teacher's class in front of her class. The Superintendent got involved and the young lady got to make up the test while it was also made clear that no additional punishments would be directed toward this student. I laugh at that now. This young lady went on to become a Rhodes Scholar and that teacher wanted to take all of the credit for it.

 

[NoGolfTil2017]

You need to intervene. This is not a helicopter parent case - it is a power-hungry unreasonable teacher.

If the teacher does not have the test ready early, there are two choices: 1) give the test Monday and score it quickly to turn in the grade on time (at least in our HS, there are days to a week between the last day of the quarter to turning in grades) or 2) give the test Monday and make it count toward her 4th quarter grade.

In our HS, it has been the opposite. Admin has been unreasonable but teachers are more reasonable (comes up every year with middle kid and course selection). However, the kid cannot always reason with the teachers/admin. She may have the perfectly logical position, but she is a kid - and the adults will remind her of that and make whatever decision they want to make. When other adults get involved, they tend to be a bit more receptive, though you may need to be persistent (even when published policies support my position rather than the admin's position, I still get, "But that is our policy..."). Go in armed with any written school policies that support your position.

 

[maksoftball]

I emailed the teacher first asking him to reconsider, and then I will go up in chain of command if he remains unreasonable. Will keep you posted on this.


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