I'm a physically disabled college student and I have a question about my how music professor reacted see below

Question

I am in a wheel chair and I was sick last Thursday. I had to go to a medical specialist that day. To do so, I had to miss my all of classes. My question is, what to make of my music professor's reaction to my presenting her with a doctor's excuse.

I gave the same doctor's excuse to my geography professor and he reacted by considering my absence to be excused as well as handing the doctor's excuse back to me. That way I could present it to my other professors. I handed it to my music professer, Dr. Madeline Darmiento, but she chose simply to keep it! There was a test in her class that day, so she granted me no opportunity whatsoever to discuss her actions with her.

Afterward, I went to business class. That professor immediately understood my situation. He considered my absense to be excused, due to that I e-mailed him before last Tuesday informing him of my doctor's appointment.

I e-mailed my music professor earlier about it also. She simply ignored my e-mail. What gives?

The University that I am attending is Millersville State University in Pennsylvania.

Don't you agree that I deserve to be treated with the same basic human decency and respect by my music professor that my other professors showed me?

If not for my business professor going out of his way to consider my absence to be excused, for lack of being presented with a doctor's excuse, I could have been given "F"s in all of the work in his class that day.

My music professor allows up to one unexcused absence until she starts to deduct a students grade. I don't even know for sure whether or not she didn't simply throw my doctor's excuse away.

I may be wrong, although its just that this feels like she's being incredibly unfair to me. I could report her to the music department chair, but then if I get an 89 B+ in her class there would probably be little chance of doing the extra credit and still getting an "A". I mean, it would seem, at least, after seeing how "fair" she appears.

One final thing that I have to keep in mind, is that she could lower my grade in her class in the case that I report her for keeping my doctor's note.

I'm just going to remain thankful for my other professors being so understanding. I'll have to try to avoid doctor's appointments during the school year if at all plausible.

I apologize if I hadn't made this clear above, albeit I did give her my doctor's excuse in person.

My problem with it, again, is that she chose to never give that doctor's excuse back to me and that she expects me to simply accept that she has chosen to keep it.

Answer 1

First you need to tell her if she does not discuss her actions with you, that you are going to take it to the college administration. She had no right to keep your doctor's note, it is yours. . You were out sick and you had proof by possessing a doctor's note. If the test was the day you were absent, she has to allow you to make it up. She has violated your rights as a student and if your illness was related to your disability, I assume so being you stated you had to go to a medical specialist, she has possibility violated your rights under the Federal Disabilities Act.

Answer to your additional information:
She cannot deduct points from your grade if your absences are excused due to medical reasons, she has to consider ALL your absences excused if it is related to your disability. I say again, If the reason for your absence is related to your disability, she has possibility violated your rights under the Federal Disabilities Act and I suggest that you quickly let her know, That professor had better be careful or she is going to find herself jobless. There are extremely strict guidelines under that act, and you being a student just adds to that. I would ask her for your doctor's note, if she isnt able to present it, then like I said, report it to administration.

Answer 2

Go to her office hours and chat with her. She may have been distracted. Lots of profs assume that they can keep anything you hand them. As a former teacher I used to hold on to the notes so that when I was grading I could check (ie. Sam wasn't here- but that's OK, here's his excuse). She may not respond to student emails, go talk to her before panicking.

Answer 3

Jag,

I think I would give her ONE more opportunity to say yea/nay on the excused absence, and to get your document back.

If you do not get a response in 24 hours, I would bump the problem up to admin. She had no right to keep your note, and you do deserve an answer.

Answer 4

No. However, the Administration wants to filter out the hard questions so Robert Gibbs doesn't choke and embarrass El Presidente.

Answer 5

If she penalizes you in any manner or if she acts rude/is inconsiderate (pertaining to your needs), then I would contact the Disabilities office at your school (assuming there is one). Good luck.

Answer 6

Talk to her in person. Some profs. hate emailing students. They want you to be mature enough to see them during their office hours. Go see her there, if you can't work it out, report her, if she lowered your grade because of that, contest it.

Answer 7

Simply ignore it. In life, things like that do happen. Disabled or not, we experience it. That's part of life.

Answer 8

In life you will come accross many contrasting characters. You take all of them in your stride.

Answer 9

You being disabled has nothing to do with her being a rude, inconsiderate, stupid *****.

Answer 10

Abuse of power...it always corrupts.