Sometimes there are perks for companies you work for. If you work for a movie house, you get free tickets. Work as a salesman for a car dealership? You can advertise by driving one of their cars.
If you are an employee of the school system, especially a teacher, your child does not get a free grade, at least from morally sound and professional teachers (which is most of us).
Nor should you ask or threaten a teacher to do so.
Although this has happened more than once over the years, there is a current scenario that is ensuing now. Teacher A (Mom), who teaches kindergarten, has not monitored her high school child's progress all year. She has not checked to see if he had any homework or projects assigned, assisted him with any homework or project, brought him in early for tutoring, let him stay after school for tutoring, checked his grades online (which are updated at least once-twice a week and noted in the system), nor expressed any concern or awareness in her son's grades.
Until now. It's the end of the year.
All of a sudden, the child has a medical condition that none of his teachers or current administration has been made aware of at any time this year. There is nothing in his file that would confirm this, nor has any paperwork been declared stating this student should receive any accommodations by law or otherwise.
This Teacher (Mom) is now showing up for unscheduled conferences, leaving phone messages, and sending demeaning/ threatening emails.
This child is not failing. His grades are mediocre, at best.
Mom wants him to go to college. "He can't get in college if he doesn't have better grades. It is our duty to Student to give him everything we can. It is our moral duty since God placed him in your path. Mediocre grades are not acceptable in my household."
Yes, this mother actually said exactly this.
This is not a problem student. He is funny, affable, and kind-hearted. He occasionally does not do his homework and freely admits he may or may not study for quizzes and tests. In fact, he has been encouraged to attend tutoring to help with his grade, both before school with a teacher or after school with the After-School Tutoring Sessions set up with the National Honor Society. He informed me that his mother is too busy to bring him to school early for help or to pick him up afterward.
This mother drops the first names of people at Central Office, thinking it will make the teacher nervous. "I work for this system. I can contact Dr. So-so."
Please do.
The documentation teachers are required to maintain shows the productivity of students. No teacher wants a student to fail. However, a student has to want to succeed. There are only so many paths a teacher can take. Lack of productivity will result in a lower grade. Period.
Can you imagine whining to the powers that be that you didn't get your way? How unprofessional is this? What kind of role model is this Teacher (Mom) setting for her son? Can you only imagine the eye rolling that will ensue at Central Office this woman's name will now incur?
The educational statement for the school system is to "Educate students to be life-long learners and productive citizens."
It's a shame this Teacher (Mom) hasn't learned how to embrace this statement for herself or the students in her classroom.
