Angry Student

[Miss Fatale]

I teach college writing. Unfortunately, many students today have a consumer mentality -- they pay their money, they deserve to at least pass, even if they don't do any work.

We just finished our final week of class. Unfortunately, I had to give one student a zero, because parts of his assignment were plagiarized. As far as I can tell, he didn't attempt to give credit for the work -- I was pretty lenient, as long as students attempted to cite their sources, I gave them a grade. Anyway, this is frustrating because we covered how to cite sources in two different weeks (one week was nothing but citations, references, giving credit, etc), and because I've already filed one plagiarism charge.

This is what was waiting in my email this morning:

"I consider that is an insult after working on my final project you accusing me of taking someone else words to do the project. before you fail me the course you need to prove me that I copy it from some sources or you just want to fail me the class. God will judge you or me if I'm Wrong, because you said so."

I've had angry students, but no one has threatened me with God before!

[Taboo]

Let me guess - the essay was written far better than that email?

I've pulled off a ten page paper with research and citings from several books at the last minute before - the day before and day of the class - and still managed to write a decent, passing paper on my own. I have no sympathy for those who plagiarize. Even if it was an accident, there's no excuse. It's your responsibility to do your work.

[taxguykarl]

Ah yes, the god card. Taking his name in vain, IMHO.

Does this inDUHvididual realize that the 8th commandment (hint: ferrous metal homophone) applies to the written word?

That reminds me of some of the single moms I serve. Avid chuch-goers, as they have a receipt for their tithes, and 3 or more kids by as many men.

[bloodrose]

He he he. "I'm telling God on you!" Guilt trip FAIL. He may need to enroll in a Psych class as well.

[chainedbarista]

hmm, that is a new one; well, you can tell him you can consult the head of your department for judgement on the plagiarism and see if that's close enough to god for this twit.

no effort, no grade...

[Sheldonrs]

...Does this inDUHvididual realize that the 8th commandment (hint: ferrous metal homophone) applies to the written word?
...

Though shalt not iron?
I don't remember anything in the 10 commandments about ironing.

[dalesys]

Though shalt not iron?
I don't remember anything in the 10 commandments about ironing.

"If a person who indulges in gluttony is a glutton, and a person who commits a felony is a felon, then God is an iron." - Spider Robinson

And we're all going to get pressed...

[wagegoth]

God will judge you or me if I'm Wrong, because you said so."

Sorry, kid, God doesn't fill out the transcripts.

[taxguykarl]

Though shalt not iron?
I don't remember anything in the 10 commandments about ironing.

Close--steal (steel). Tell me you're being facetious.

[mariamousie1]

I think his grammar speaks for itself, considering this is a WRITING course.

[Terl1982]

It takes a lot of nerve to be hostile with your writing teacher like that. Especially when you do it in such a grammatically incorrect manner.

Seriously, whenever I got a grade I didn't agree with I would schedule an appointment with my professor and talk about it calmly and rationally. I would spend the first couple of minutes assuring the professor that I was not trying to second guess them or offend them in any way. What good will it do you to piss off a professor? Also, you are a writing professor! This is a relatively subjective field. It isn't math where the answer is either right or wrong, so you could totally screw that kid over if you wanted to.

I believe you were too lenient. My school had an honor code, and if I had turned in a paper like that, a 0 for the assignment would have been a given and the least of what I would expect.

[Miss Fatale]

Thanks so much for the replies! They make me feel a lot better.

I certainly don't mind that he questioned me, and I did double-check his work. But yeah, that tone sure was something. Times like this I wish I could write back, "Listen, pal, do you want to hear all of my problems? Or are you going to shut up and do your work?"

[Damien]

I had that in my 1st year as a high school science teacher - 2 girls and their parents argued, screamed and bitched about me giving them zero for plagiarising someone else's work and eachother....

They got the principal involved, but thankfully he ws on my side, knowing that I am thorough.

I showed them the paper where the plagiarism occurred from, and their work - handwritten word for word - but they made an interesting spelling error - spelling atoms as 'adams'...

The paper they plagiarised? was mine from 2 years earlier.

[Digitalpotato]

for that reason I can never be a professor to anything but a junior level college class. Because just being a freshman and a sophomore and seeing how many students are taking classes without even taking it seriously would frustrate me.

Sociology's commonly plagued by grademongerers looking for an Easy "A". The class size would literally DOUBLE on exam day when the people who cut class and only show up for tests and important class dates come in and then say a bunch of rude comments on the evaluation form because it's anonymous.

[MannersMakethMan]

Nothing without labour. No, it's not easy - it's not supposed to be. Things worth doing very rarely are.

Seriously, if they want it their way, you may as well just be handing out qualifications to anyone. Then they become worthless and there'd be a whole other set of whining about how they had to come all the way out just to get their papers handed out to them, and now they can't even do anything with them.

Makes me ashamed to be a student.