Student sues to get A+, not A.

[RitaZ.]

CNN

Why can't he accept the grade for what it is?

 

[DopeyRN]

That's a tough one. Ok I admit it...i am confused. I guess if this was done outside of school and the point difference between an A and an A+ would make a difference between being top or not, then yes it should matter.

 

[minniecarousel]

That's ridiculoua! Especially since he wanted the grade in the class that his MOTHER was in charge of!

 

[helenabear]

My friend in high school had a similar problem He would love to do all these music classes but they didn't award a higher point to them as his AP & Honors classes he took did. The regular A would actually bring down his GPA. He had to wind up auditing the classes so he could take them w/o getting a grade. Kind of sad when you think about it. I just don't know what a lawsuit should be involved. You would think that they might be able to work this out themselves w/o that

 

[Betsyt82]

Let's just put this in its place. The miss use of the courts again for silly things. If this is the policy or standard in the school system or teacher than let it be but to sue for a grade is really being..............silly IMHO

 

[smileybrat]

it's the teachers decision. if they feel the student deserves an a instead of an a+ it's their choice. i don't think they should be able to sue.

 

[SeaSpray]

I may be wrong, but I think the point of his suit is so that it won't "lower" his overall grades by being CALLED an "A" rather than an "A+". Some schools just give plain letter grades, such as A,B,C,D, etc. Some do the whole + and - thing. It appears that if he gets a plain "A" that it would detract from his overall rating within his school, which would effect his chance to be class Valedictorian. I know that might sound "frivolous" to some of you, but to many hardworking kids, the chance to be top in your class is a VERY big deal. Also, I imagine it looks good on an application for college, to be able to say you're the Valedictorian.

I would have to know more details to determine whether this was indeed frivolous, but from what I've read, I don't think it is.

P.S. It wasn't his mother's class, the boy worked at his mother's law office. The actual teacher is giving him full credit for the work he did, it's just a matter of how the school hands out the grade, whether it's called an A or A+. The fact that he worked at his mother's law office has nothing to do with this case, that's not what is being questioned here.

 

[peg2001]

No one is saying that he doesn't deserve an A+. He received the highest grade awarded by the county, which is an A. His city school, however, grades up though A+ and counted his county grade as less than the highest grade. I can see his point.

Peggy

 

[Olaf]

I personally think schools should do away with the whole valedictorian concept. It's like comparing apples to oranges. It doesn't make sense anymore with honor's classes, and kids transferring in and out.

 

[RitaZ.]

Here is an excerpt;

Brian Delekta, who finished 11th grade in 2002 ranked at the top of his class, says he should have received an A+ for a St. Clair County intermediate school district work-experience class in which he worked as a paralegal in his mother's law office.

Memphis schools award grades on a 12-point scale, with an A+ being a 12. The highest grade awarded by the intermediate school district is an A. Memphis High School gave Delekta credit for an A.

I'm really interested in seeing how this one turns out.

 

[Disney845]

I don't really think that this is a case for a law suit...but I can say that I REALLY hate the +/- system. In Spring 2002, my University decided to adopt this grading scale. I am a straight A student, who up until this point had a 4.0 GPA. I took an elective outside my majors and I received the grade of an A-. This grading system has totally messed up my entire GPA. I really think that it is unfair and unreasonable. The problem being that there is no grade above an A available (at my school). So there is no chance of getting an A+ to weight out the A-. If this system had not been instituted I would still have my A+ and (without any blemishes in the future, which I doubt since I only have 1 semester after this) I would have been guaranteed to graduate Summa Cum Laude. Now I have to prepare myself for the possibility of acheiving only the Magna Cum Laude status. For this reason I can totally understand why this student would be upset over this obvious infraction. If his school is on a specific grading scale and he performs scholastically outside of his distric in such a way that would be graded a certain grade based on his school's scale then he deserves that grade. Of course appealing to the school board is as far as I would take it. I do not believe this case should become a law suit!

Many people might want to flame me for my position and being so concerned about my academic standing, but until they have put the time and effort into acheiving my goals that I have (and I assume this student has as well).......

 

[becka]

I don't think he really should have a case to sue. If he sues and wins then maybe I should have sued back when I was in high school as well.

If he took this work experience class outside of his district then it was his responsibility to learn how the grading was to be performed and transferred. If he was so concerned about his class ranking (which in the real world will mean zilch) then he should have been proactive.

When I was in high school I kept moving to different districts (I went to 4 different high schools) because my Dad was in the Army. Every school would transfer my grades differently and my class ranking would vary from school to school. Some schools gave extra points for honors classes, other schools did not, some schools used the +/- system on grades, others did not, some schools used percentages rather than grades, grading scales were different, etc. I didn't always feel like I was being treated fairly but it was one of my first lessons in "Life is not always fair".

I was always at the top of my class but at the high school I graduated from I had zero chance of being in the top few percentage points because of the way they structured class rankings and honor courses. Was I cheated out of my class ranking? I wouldn't necessarily call it cheating but it certainly would have been higher if I had attended that school for the entire 4 years.

Maybe I should sue because my lower class ranking dimished my potential scholarship money and "priced" me out of several schools? Maybe with a revised class ranking I could have gone to Harvard and would be making much more in my career? I have a lifetime of potential earnings losses all associated with how my high school grades were transferred! I had better call a lawyer fast!

 

[Disney845]

Originally posted by becka
If he was so concerned about his class ranking (which in the real world will mean zilch)

I totally disagree with you. I don't mean to be harsh...but that sounds like the sort of petty comment a person who didn't do very well academically might make.

 

[becka]

Originally posted by Disney845
I totally disagree with you. I don't mean to be harsh...but that sounds like the sort of petty comment a person who didn't do very well academically might make.

I don't mean to be harsh but that sounds like the comment of someone who is still in school. I spent lots of time worrying about my grades and class standings in high school and in college. Trust me when I say that I excelled at both levels. However, what I have learned since graduating is that while a good GPA may have gotten me an interview it didn't matter at all after that. Employers want to know if you have the skills to perform the job. No one cares what grades you had in school once you are out in the work force.

 

[Disney845]

Originally posted by becka
I don't mean to be harsh but that sounds like the comment of someone who is still in school.

well yes...I didn't imply that, I came right out and said it! And besides, who ever said I did it for job recognition? While still in HS, grades are everything. People may say...oh it doesn't matter what grade you get, it is about learning...but that is a bunch of BS! Grades matter more than anything. Those that have them, excell, while those that don't struggle. After HS, college grades matter very much as well. They matter if you want internships, or co-op programs, they matter if you want to apply for a graduate program. The can certainly get you the "foot" in the door that you need. While your HS or University grades might not matter to a boss or co-workers after you have already gotten the job, they should still continue to matter to you. I take considerable proud in knowing that I have done my best and achieved the highest recognition possible for my efforts.

Maybe I am reading too much into this...but doesn't this statement

Maybe with a revised class ranking I could have gone to Harvard and would be making much more in my career?

kinda go against all that you are saying?

I am sorry that you didn't have the qualifications to be admitted to Harvard, but as you have pointed out, life isn't fair...but are you implying that going to Harvard would have increased your marketability in your chosen job field? It sounds like it to me. Which would completely negate your further comments that grades don't matter once you get out into the "real" world... Sorry, but I have been living in the real world for a long time!

 

[ead79]

From my experience (and this is only my personal experience), grades did matter very much in high school. I graduated with over a 4.0 GPA, and due to the ultra-competitive nature of my high school, was 32 in my class. Then I graduated magna cum laude from college, and I discovered that grades in college don't "pack as much punch" as high school grades. I graduated this past May, and I had a very difficult time finding a job due to the depressed economy just like all the people I graduated with (whether or not they were honors grads). In my experience, most employers that I interviewed with had minimum GPA requirements, but as long as you met those, they were more interested in your interview skills/knowledge/etc. than your GPA. I am proud of my hard work, but grades won't get you everywhere, even when combined with good extra-curriculars and strong interview skills. Unfortunately the depressed economy is making it difficult for everyone (yes, even for honors grads) to find good jobs/any job at all. I understand where this young man is coming from, because when colleges look at your admissions applications, having been your high school's valedictorian is a HUGE deal (for some reason it seems to be a much bigger deal than being salutatorian, even though I think either way it shows you have the "brain power" to really excel in any college). He has worked hard to be valedictorian, and he doesn't want his chance to suffer from an A not being an A+. However, I do not believe he should have sued. Sometimes life just isn't fair, and he will have to learn that lesson sooner or later. JMHO.

 

[becka]

Originally posted by Disney845
well yes...I didn't imply that, I came right out and said it!

You are right you didn't imply that you were a student. You did state it as a fact. I was simply using a play on words from your previous response to me.

While still in HS, grades are everything. People may say...oh it doesn't matter what grade you get, it is about learning...but that is a bunch of BS! Grades matter more than anything.

IMHO, that is a very sad opinion to hold but you are entitled to it.

Those that have them, excell, while those that don't struggle.

Actually those who excel are those who either a) put in the effort necessary to achieve good grades or b) are gifted with the intelligence necessary to acheive good grades without having to work all that hard at it.

While your HS or University grades might not matter to a boss or co-workers after you have already gotten the job, they should still continue to matter to you. I take considerable proud in knowing that I have done my best and achieved the highest recognition possible for my efforts.

I never said that I did not take pride in my academic achievements. I did put in the years of hard work to achieve and excel during my school years. I, however, did so out of a love of learning not because I felt that grades were everything. I loved school and I loved being recognized for a job well done but my grades/class standing have not meant anything to anyone other than myself since I graduated.

Maybe I am reading too much into this...but doesn't this statement kinda go against all that you are saying?

I am sorry that you apparently are unaware of the tone that was conveyed by the The entire last paragraph of my original post was dripping with sarcasm. It was based on the line of thinking I have seen where people become so obsessed with a certain path and feel that any deviation from that path is disastrous. For example, the parents who are devestated about Jr.'s rejection at Preschool A - which means he can't possibly be accepted to Elementary School B - which means that he will be shut out of the top Prep School C and therefore all chances at an Ivy League education have been lost.

I am sorry that you didn't have the qualifications to be admitted to Harvard, but as you have pointed out, life isn't fair..

No I didn't go to Harvard (would not have wanted to) but what makes you so sure that I did not have the qualifications?

Sorry, but I have been living in the real world for a long time!

I really do not have any more desire to take this thread more OT than it has already become however I do want to say that I hope you continue to excel during the remainder of your college career. Enjoy this time because the rest of the world is waiting for you when you graduate.

By the way, I see that you are from Indianapolis? Can I ask what school you attend? I actually lived in Indy from 89-91 and attended Lawrence Central while my Dad was stationed at Ft. Ben.

 

[jfulcer]

I have to agree with Becka on this one. Having been working in a professional field for quite some time now, not a single time in my career (or any of my friends and family) was I asked my class ranking in an interview, nor has it been on my resume - and not because I wasn't a Cum Laude of some sort.

<b>Now I have to prepare myself for the possibility of acheiving only the Magna Cum Laude status. </b>

And to this, I would say "Only Magna Cum Laude status"? Only? Wow, that is an honor in itself, isn't that enough? You have to ''prepare yourself" for achieving something that 99.8% of your class could not do? But what's really irksome is the reason you didn't get "Suma Cum Laude" is your performance in the class earned you an A-. Instead of dwelling on the fact that you can't get the grade back up, you should dwell on what you could have done to improve the grade so the next time you are in that situation, you get your A.

I don't agree that the difference between Suma Cum Laude and Magna Cum Laude is going to shut any doors in your face. If you had gotten C's and D's, well then yes, you may not have as many opportunities as someone who did get A's.

To the point, this article implies he did the duties he should have done and professionally. Isn't that the point, and why he got an A? If thought the whole reason for an A+ is that you go above and beyond what would be expected of you in your work. Which they do NOT say he did, even if he could have gotten the A+. I think this suit is frivolous.

 

[addicted_to_WDW]

I'll admit my grades were important to me when I was in school. I excelled. However, I agree with Becka in that they have no importance in my adult life. That part of my life is over, and not once since graduating college has anyone cared what my class ranking was. It just isn't important anymore.

High school grades get you into a good college. In college, the degree is what is important.

 

[Disney845]

Originally posted by jfulcer

You have to ''prepare yourself" for achieving something that 99.8% of your class could not do?

Actually at my university Magna Cum Laude means you fall into the top 5% but not the top 2.5%.

I don't agree that the difference between Suma Cum Laude and Magna Cum Laude is going to shut any doors in your face.

I didn't mean to imply that it would. I am well aware that receiving any of these distinctions is something to be proud of, and I am. I am not complaining about getting something I didn't deserve. I am only saying that I can totally understand where this kid is coming from. My graduation status means a lot to me. It is a totally personal thing. it has nothing to do with my future job expectations. I know that in the grand scheme of life, having a 3.96 isn't going to prevent me from doing or acheiving anything a 4.0 would have. I am confident that my skills and abilities are what will take me to where I want to go, not my university or HS grades. I was only trying to convey my opinion that grades do mean more than "zilch" in life. I will always know what I did turn earn them, and can always be proud of my own achievements. I am not under the impression that when I am 55 someone will walk up to me and congradulate me on my college grades....

Becka- I am sorry if I concluded from your statement before that you didn't have the qualifications to go to Harvard. I thought that is what you were saying by your comment

Maybe with a revised class ranking I could have gone to Harvard

. I apologize if my comment after that was an incorrect assumption. I honestly wasn't attempting to start an "I am smarter than you debate." So please accept my apology.

As far as how much HS grades matter, it might be a sad opinion, but I can not change the way the school systems are set up. Having good grades means more doors are opened for you. More teachers/administrators appreciate you and may go out of their way to help you. this may not be correct, but it is the way the world works.