Can a child be held responsible for a failing grade at school?

[FLAprogressive]

[LuckyTheDog]

1. How old is the child?

There is a big difference between a first grader and an 11th grader.

[Codeine]

2. Of course.

I'm mystified by the idea that they might not be. Are there special circumstances? Absolutely. Do these always apply? Hell no -- some kids are just fucking lazy and need a boot in their ass.

[BanzaiBonnie]

20. You sound like you have experience with

someone frustrating the hell out of you.

However, I disagree with you that violence is any kind of answer.

[Codeine]

21. A metaphorical boot, of course.

No actual foot to the ass stuff.

[Brickbat]

3. Most of the time, yes. There are certainly exceptions.

[seabeyond]

5. what? i cant think of any exception. give me an example, please. curious. nt

[Brickbat]

9. Teacher incompetence, mistaken expectations, unrealistic grading system (it happens), and so on.

[wtmusic]

17. Then someone is asleep at the wheel

If the student (college) or the parent (younger) lets it get past mid-semester without addressing the issue they're responsible.

[Brickbat]

24. Well, sure. But I was talking about whether the child was responsible.

If someone is asleep at the wheel, the child is not responsible.

[pnwmom]

14. My district once tried to force all high school students

to take 5 college level AP classes in order to graduate. (Parents and teachers rose up and prevented this from happening.) If a student who had barely gotten through Algebra was required to take a college level Calculus class that he wasn't prepared for, I wouldn't hold him responsible for failing.

[uppityperson]

8. My dad failed a college class, aced the final, flunked the homework because the teacher had

such a strong accent he couldn't understand him. The teacher would lecture, then the next class would test on the previous lecture and then hand out the notes of his lecture. Hence my father would be tested then given the info. He aced the final but flunked the class. If he'd had the notes before the test, he'd have done fine. But not being to understand the spoken lecture and then tested? Flunk.

[wtmusic]

15. I can't see how that alone would result in a fail.

Everybody else in the class would be in the same boat.

I had one similar situation but students got together and shared notes, or met with a TA. :shrug:

[uppityperson]

19. Most people could understand his lecture. My dad couldn't.

Class 1: Lecture on "A"
Class 2: Test on "A". Hand out given on "A". Lecture on "B"
Class 3: Test on "B", hand out given. Lecture on "C"

Not sure why he didn't share notes with someone else, but he ended up getting the highest score in the class on his final, and was able to ace every weekly test after reading the notes he was given. This was back right after WW2, he was an older returning student and it was some specialized engineering/math class thing. He talked with his advisor, that he could not understand much of anything the guy said, would it be possible to get the notes before the test. The teacher said he didn't know what he was going to say until he said it, then wrote it up so no.

It was quite frustrating for him and his only failed class.

[Cleita]

4. I was always held responsible by my parents

for my grades, regardless of bad teachers and other factors although it was a teacher who informed my parents that I needed glasses and it could be one of the reasons I wasn't learning.

I really don't know the answer. Kids should be somewhat responsible too I believe if there isn't any other reason for them not learning.

[uppityperson]

6. They "CAN" be but "may or may not" be.

"can" is one of those qualifying words that make this into a yes of course statement. Yes, they can be, but should not always be.

[MineralMan]

7. They are, as far as I know. Does this poll relate to some sort

of news story or something?

[LostInAnomie]

10. What!? Why hold the precious little snowflake responsible...

... when there is a perfectly good scapegoat (teacher) to blame?

[KG]

26. +eleventy hundred

[superduperfarleft]

11. Did anyone in that other thread suggest otherwise?

It's not a simple "yes" or "no" answer.

[jp11]

12. I think your poll should have had yes, barring extenuating circumstances like those

listed under no, then No with whatever you add to that 'parents are ultimately to blame' No with 'teachers' No 'teachers/parents', etc.

I'd like to think all those saying yes would agree learning disabilities and the like are not the child's fault.

[pnwmom]

13. Each situation and child is different. n/t

[Recursion]

16. Sure. Why else assign grades? (nt)

[liberal N proud]

18. Too many variables to answer this question

Age and abilities of the student. Environment in which the child must learn etc.

[damntexdem]

22. Yes, partially.

All those other factors add in.

Politicians tend to push unicausal theories, in line with their political philosophies. Reality is more complex.

[AlabamaLibrul]

23. Other - it depends. Duh. n/t

[pipi_k]

25. Responsible? You mean...

like when I was in 8th grade and failing English and probably not doing so well in other classes and my English teacher called me out in front of the whole class and embarrassed the hell out of me because of my failing grade when she didn't even know that the reason I wasn't doing so well in school was because my mom and dad (an active alcoholic) were fighting each and every night and I could often not get to sleep...

and how hard it was to be in the house, but how much worse it was to be away, being afraid that when I got home they would both have killed each other while I was gone...

Seeing them throwing food and hot irons and beer bottles at each other...


Yeah, sure. Why not.

I'm so glad my English teacher held me responsible for my failing grade.


It should happen to all kids whose teachers don't know the reason for the kids not doing well in school.

:sarcasm:

[uppityperson]

28. like my 8 grade soc studies teacher who failed my big report since it was "too well written"

and she didn't think I wrote it. My parents stood up for me and managed to talk her into a D rather than an F. She was a peach of a teacher.

And yes, I wrote it. I wrote well back then.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

27. False dichotomy poll. AND continuation of argument of another thread.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x472413

[Bobbie Jo]

29. Can a child be held responsible who managed to

make it to the 8th grade, and cannot read or write?

Just had one in my office...

[Iggo]

30. Define 'held responsible'.

Does that mean we strap a "My mommie says I'm stupid. Honk at me if you agree" sign on him?