Is it ridiculous for a teacher to say that you are late when you are only 30 seconds late?

Question

My choir teacher who also called me a BYOTCH said that my friends and I were late even though the bell went only 30 seconds ago.

Our choir/theatre building is far away from the actual school
AND she tells us to go to the washroom so we don't ask but then if we do go we are late

Just wanted to know if it is ridiculous

Answer 1

The teacher's right technically that you're late even if you're 5 seconds late, but if the building is far away from the actual school & she wants students to use the washroom during the break, then I think it would be nice of her to give students a 30 second or 60 second leeway when they are doing so, and esp. shouldn't be calling them the "B" word. To me, it seems like the pot calling the kettle black.

I had an experience like that in college my first semester. I signed up for 2 classes, one after the other, and there was 15 minutes in between. I didn't know the campus well at the time, and didn't realize that I would have to go all the way from one end of the campus all the way to the complete opposite end of the campus. To make matters even worse, the first class was a math class and I guess to discourage students from leaving early, the professor wouldn't give the assignment until after class and it would take a few minutes to write that down, so I would have just a little over 10 minutes to make a good couple of miles (which I would jog), inevitably making it a minute or two late to class every time. The professor would make snotty and rude comments about me to the class every day, which would be repeated to me by my roommate who was in the class! I never again took a class without having a good hour or more in between, which I wouldn't have done anyway, and I certainly didn't need snotty and rude comments about me from anyone. To me that is just very unprofessional and nasty. I made a mistake when I signed up as an unknowing freshman, and then did my best to get there as quickly as I could, and never made the mistake in scheduling again; a teacher doesn't have to name-call and be verbally abusive!

Of course, if a student did that when they were a junior or senior, that would be a different story, but I think teachers should try to be understanding of certain special circumstances, like in your case if a person has a 10 minute break with a 10 minute walk and she wants you to also use the bathroom as well! I do think in "real life", for example when you have a job, they will usually give you enough allotted time to complete the task without penalty, for example, you won't be penalized for not getting to a destination in 10 minutes and going to the bathroom in the 10 minutes you are traveling to the destination. Your boss would never do that in real life (or you would probably be looking for a new job)!

Answer 2

Not at all ridiculous in the circumstances. There are some tasks and things in life where if doesn't matter if you are a bit late, but many tasks require you do something *exactly* on time. Not a few seconds before or later.

When i used to work in Broadcast TV news we went to Air at 6:00 exactly. that was not 10 seconds late, or 2 seconds early. if we were not ready to go at 6pm it didn't matter. Master Control would switch us on and that was it. If we didn't do our thing on time many of us would be fired.

In other roles (such are medical, air traffic control, theatre, music, military, space flight) being late are matter of consquence and maybe be the difference between life and (many many) deaths. Try telling the pilot of a 747 he can land 30 seconds later and it doesn't matter about the other aircraft also landing at that time.

So, yes. Next time you are singing in the choir and it is your turn to sing, wait 30 seconds and see what happens. That silence can last a lifetime if your butt is on the line.

Given the task to be performed than you should thank your teacher for giving you a valuable lesson. Sometimes being on time is EVERYTHING.

Answer 3

First of all, your teacher has no right to call you a b**ch and it should be reported to the Principal.

Secondly, it's not ridiculous for say you are 30 seconds late when you really were late. But you may feel she was being a bit unfair. Try talking to her about how you feel it is unfair and ask for her side. Sometimes this resolves problem situations, sometimes not. It's worth a shot.

Answer 4

Maybe he is trying to prepare you for college. Talk with your teacher and tell him how you feel. Some teachers get upset if you come into the classroom late. Most of the time, if you come to school late, you are supposed to be sent to the office. Maybe keep a record of what is going on and ask your parents to schedule a parent teacher conference with the dean.

Answer 5

30 sec is late....

if i can see my students in the hall during the time the bell rings, i dont count them late. but every teacher is different.

she should never call you a B though. tell her off. ask other students if they have experienced the same thing. tell another teacher, counselor, principal about it

Answer 6

It does sounds very ridiculous to me. But being punctual is another thing meaning that every seconds counts. It will be better if you could be there before time.

Answer 7

Late is late. Doesn't matter if it's 30 seconds, or 30 minutes.

"....Only 30 seconds late". You said it yourself, dear.. LATE.

The only thing is... Why would your teacher call you a b*tch? You might want to go to her supervisors (Principal, Schoolboard, etc), and let them know she is verbally abusing her students..

Answer 8

Late is late.