Failed because of teacher's mistake?

Question

This last term at school, I took an intro to soc class. I felt I did alright throughout it. The teacher didn't post grades online which sucked because I wanted to track my grade.

The final was a bit hard, but I thought I did ok. Enough to get a low B in the class. Imagine my surprise then, when I got a D-in the class. I emailed the teacher wondering how I did on that final. I got a B on that. I got a B on the midterm. I also got B's and A's on all the essays.

The reason for my D- then? He said I was missing an essay. An essay he graded a B- on. An essay he made comments on. An essay he didn't remember and I didn't have because I deleted my files (end of term people..would you keep yours?).

He wouldn't change my grade until I could prove I did it. After a week, I found it on my computer (I'm still not exactly sure how..)I emailed it to him and he said it was too late. Now, I have a D- on my transcript because he didn't record a grade I earned. How would you react?

I know I screwed up by recycling all my papers at the end of term (the physical copy in which he joted the notes) and then deleting files off my computer.

Trust me, I've learned from that.

Regular course and the original paper was a physical copy.

I know it sounds fishy that it was found. I really didn't retype it. I know I can't prove that to him but I remarked that he should remember the bad intro that he commented on the last one.

It is odd how I found it. I guess I saved it under another name because when I went to open a random file, there it was.

Answer 1

I would tell the head of the school (Dean, maybe? I don't know what they do, so I guessed, since it sounds like college/university to me.) It's obvious that the teacher isn't cooperating and, if they make a mistake, they should have to fix it.
That's what I would do, anyway. Tell a higher authority, or write a letter to your teacher and send a copy to the higher authority as well, explaining the situation. Address both letters to the higher authority and send a carbon copy to the teacher, so s/he knows that you mean buisness and will not back down.

Answer 2

I'm sorry this happened to you, but let it be a lesson to you. NEVER delete your work. Keep your graded work for at least a year.

Plus...the grading doesn't make sense. If you have been receiving A's and B's, how can you possibly end up with a D? Is this a final essay and that's why it's worth a whole lot?

"Finding your essay a week later" sounds fishy...at least to an instructor. For all he knows, you could have retyped it up.

Is this an online course or regular? If this is an online course and you have submitted it via the course dropbox, it should have a time and date stamped on what you originally submitted it. What about e-mail? E-mail will also have the original time and date when you submitted the work.

If you can prove the instructor was at fault, report it to the dean and file for a Grievance.

Answer 3

I would speak to the dean about this. Professors who do things like that are sometimes "repeat offenders" in that you are not the only victum. I had a simular situation happen to me not once but twice in high school: my freshman year with my spanish 2 teacher and my senior year with my english teacher. I have never had the problem in college but this is a thing not limited to college. Most computers have a way to show when the file in question was last modified. If you can get that proof over to the dean along with your essay and state your case in a mature and intelligent manner (which looks like that should be no problem to you) then I am sure the dean will do what he can to look into the problem.

If I were you...I would not hesitate much longer and get cracking on your evidence and case.

Answer 4

I am sure this may well be a stupid answer but I will try to jog something that may help:

Do you have a paper copy at all?

Where would he have made the comments on a paper copy or, did he e-mail them to you? Look in your received folder.

Did you initially e-mail the paper to him?
If you did sometimes you can look in your "sent" file and proove that you sent it. You cannot change a sent date so it will be good proof.

The file on your computer should say the date it was created and also the date it was last modified.

Good Luck!
Hope this may help!

Answer 5

As a instructor, there are continually situations issues are inputted incorrect into the equipment. i'm fantastically darn conscientious even as i'm inputting grades, yet I do make blunders. purely those days, I had a good female get carry of a C-, which replaced right into a wonder to me. when I printed out a progression record and went by ability of, i chanced on a typo on a huge task. She had an A- in actuality. rather of plotting adversarial on your instructor, refer to him/her. Ask for rankings on assignments. lacking some homework assignments promises up vast! A failure record should be any grade from C- to F. We deliver them out if a baby is everywhere in the C variety or decrease.

Answer 6

Bring this to someone's attention immediately. Whether it be the dean, or a counselor, something needs to be done. The teacher obviously messed up, and your grade can be changed. It's not "too late". Tell someone right away!!!

Answer 7

Take it to the dean. Also, try to communicate through e-mail so you have evidence of his response. Don't let him on about taking it higher until you can get some good solid comments from him that you can prove.

Answer 8

Contact the Office of Academic Affairs at your school.
Then make sure and never take a class with that prof again, just in case he holds a grudge.

Answer 9

It depends on the grade.`Freshman year isnt all that important but anything above that I will take it as far as i can take it. I have to take it to the education board, then i sure on will.

i actually have to email 2 of my teachers, because one of them does not know how to use the new grading system and messed me up.

Answer 10

Appeal the grade with your university. Talk to your advisor first and see where you need to go from there.