« The Daily Memo - 2/8/07 | Main | An Afternoon Diversion »
Cause you had a bad grade / taking one down / you file a lawsuit just to turn it around
Another week, another jaded student. A 50-year-old undergraduate, Brian Marquis, is suing the University of Massachusetts this week because his teaching assistant changed his philosophy grade from an A- to a C. Marquis is upset because the new grade will ruin his chances at getting into a good law school.
According to the report, Marquis originally earned a 92 percent, but his teaching assistant redrew the grading curve to make the grade distribution more fair, which resulted in an 84 percent — a C in the class.
“Quite frankly, I find this utterly unacceptable,” Marquis, who worked as a legal assistant before returning to college, remarked. In response to his initial complaint, the teaching assistant urged Marquis, in an email, “to accept this grade and continue on with your course work as there were no grounds for an academic grievance.” But Marquis chose to decline the invitation to move on.
Marquis is charging the university with 15 counts, including Violation of First Amendment, Breach of Contract and Intentional Infliction of Emotional Distress. According to the complaint’s “Entitlement To Relief,” Marquis is seeking monetary, retroactive, and prospective relief. He is also trying to get his grade changed to an A-, along with seven other objectives.
Well, if the C was going to keep him out of a decent law school, maybe filing a lawsuit will help his cause. Of course, once he gets in, he’s going to have to get used to this sort of grading system. After all, law school is the only academic venture one can engage in where a B+ (which is what a 92 would have gained him at most law schools) is actually a mediocre grade. Take it from someone who is all too familiar with that grade.
But then, of course, law school profs have a novel approach to grading final exams.
Comments
You are so right Dustin. Our curve is a B, and it stings. I went from being in the top 15% of my college, to the bottom 15% in my law school. Brian's going to have to get used to the idea that it's now what you know, but how you get bitch slapped by the curve.
Posted by Laaw-yuhr | February 12, 2007 11:56 AM