[nabs-l] professors and preferential treatment

[Kirt Manwaring]

Man...why'd I send him that email?  I want that B!  And...deep down, I
hope he still lets me have it.

On 4/20/11, Kirt Manwaring <kirt.crazydude at gmail.com> wrote:
> Dear nabs list,
>   So I'm currently retaking a class I took last semester.  It's a
> logic class, which involves a lot of tables.  Last semester I took the
> class, I got a d+, mostly because I was lazy and didn't do all the
> homework, which made me bomb a few tests.  This semester I did enough
> in the class to probably get a grade in the C range...but today I
> found out the professor isn't requiring me to take the final and he's
> giving me a flat B in the class.  I'm putting a copy of the letter I
> sent this professor below my message here, I'd love to know what you
> think of it.  If he's giving me the B just to be merciful, as I know
> some professors do to students who struggle in classes (especially
> this professor, he gives students breaks and errs on the side of
> compassion when handing out grades to all his students), but I want to
> make sure him cutting me this slack has nothing to do with my
> blindness.  And I fear blindness is a factor...I'm not sure if this
> letter will prompt him to change his mind and give me the grade I
> deserve, but at least I tried.
> -------------
> Dear [professor's name omitted],
>  [teacher's aid's name omitted] just told me I'm not required to take
> the final and I'm
> getting a B in the class.  I apreciate the sentiment of what you're
> doing...and, honestly, a B would look much better on my GPA than what
> I probably deserve.  It would certainly be more advantageous for me to
> get a B in the class.  But I can't help feeling it's cheating me of a
> valuable learning experience, and here's why.
>  In retaking the class, I knew exactly what I was in for.  I still
> chose to be lazy and not do most of my homework.  In retaking the
> class, I was totally aware of the accomodations I needed to make with
> the course...and those accomodations were made in such a way as to
> pretty much make my blindness a non-factor.  Or at least a very
> minimal factor.
>  I knew exactly what I needed to do in the course to be successful,
> and I didn't do it all.  I did do better the second time around...but
> I honestly think my homework score the second semester taking the
> course was worse than it was the first time I took it.  If we're going
> purely by points, I'd probably deserve somewhere in the C range.  And
> I'm totally aware a B looks much better on my GPA.  But I didn't do
> the work to deserve that kind of grade.
>  If you're cutting me a break to be compassionate...I'm really not
> going to argue because I like having a B on my transcript.  But I feel
> a little uneasy about it because I know I don't deserve it and, were I
> not blind, I doubt you'd be quite so kind.  And I can honestly say my
> blindness wasn't the reason I gave you C quality work.  I know you've
> had blind students do amazing in your class before.  I know how to be
> successful as a blind student...I just didn't do everything I needed
> to to get a B grade.  And, although it's really attractive to me and
> I'm kicking myself for asking you this, I hope you'll reconsider and
> give me the grade I deserve rather than the grade I want.
>  Take care and thanks for the class,
> Kirt
>