Tuesday, November 06, 2007
Is A Bad Teacher Hurting My Daughter's College Chances?
Dear Guidance Guy,
My daughter is a junior and she is hoping to get into the University of Delaware. Their website indicates that they admit students with A's and B's. My daughter has been an honor student until this year. There is one class with a bad teacher where we do not anticipate a grade above a C. Every effort has been made to move her from this class (unsuccessfully) and many other students have either dropped the class or moved to another class.
I have two questions: can we sue the school if this one grade affects her ability to get into the college of her choice? Do we have a legal right to a more appropriate class?
Thanks,
Concerned Parent
*** *** ***
Dear Concerned,
When colleges post information on their website about the kind of student they admit, these are intended as general guidelines. In other words a typical admitted student will have A's and B's. As long as everything else is in good shape (including college entrance exam scores) it is very unlikely one grade lower than these will disqualify your daughter from being offered admission.
There is nothing to stop you from suing the school under these circumstances but there is no way you would win such a suit. You would have to prove intent on the teacher's part to deny your child the grade she deserved or document a pattern of incompetence on the teacher's part. You would then have to show the reason she didn't get admitted to a college was directly because of what happened in that class. From what you've told me I don't see any way that will happen.
Same is true as far as removing her from a class. You can request a change. But it seems teacher is certified/licensed to teach the subject, or is at least working for a school that is supervising her then it's up to the school's discretion. It doesn't seem as if any laws were broken. If what you want is a better experience, try working with the teacher as someone who also wants what's best for your child. If that doesn't work and dropping the class is an option, that may be the way to go.
Best of Luck,
The Guidance Guy
My daughter is a junior and she is hoping to get into the University of Delaware. Their website indicates that they admit students with A's and B's. My daughter has been an honor student until this year. There is one class with a bad teacher where we do not anticipate a grade above a C. Every effort has been made to move her from this class (unsuccessfully) and many other students have either dropped the class or moved to another class.
I have two questions: can we sue the school if this one grade affects her ability to get into the college of her choice? Do we have a legal right to a more appropriate class?
Thanks,
Concerned Parent
*** *** ***
Dear Concerned,
When colleges post information on their website about the kind of student they admit, these are intended as general guidelines. In other words a typical admitted student will have A's and B's. As long as everything else is in good shape (including college entrance exam scores) it is very unlikely one grade lower than these will disqualify your daughter from being offered admission.
There is nothing to stop you from suing the school under these circumstances but there is no way you would win such a suit. You would have to prove intent on the teacher's part to deny your child the grade she deserved or document a pattern of incompetence on the teacher's part. You would then have to show the reason she didn't get admitted to a college was directly because of what happened in that class. From what you've told me I don't see any way that will happen.
Same is true as far as removing her from a class. You can request a change. But it seems teacher is certified/licensed to teach the subject, or is at least working for a school that is supervising her then it's up to the school's discretion. It doesn't seem as if any laws were broken. If what you want is a better experience, try working with the teacher as someone who also wants what's best for your child. If that doesn't work and dropping the class is an option, that may be the way to go.
Best of Luck,
The Guidance Guy
# posted by Larry Hochman : 3:39 PM
