Examining the Reasons Behind Holding Back Students by Teachers

Introduction

As an experience graduate student at Wright State University and Fordham University, I observed several troubling scenarios involving teachers holding back their students. This article delves into the reasons behind such practices, focusing on both educational and personal motivations.

Reasons for Holding Back Students

1. To Maintain a Grading Curve

One of the most common reasons for holding back students is to maintain a particular grading curve. In academic settings, maintaining a certain distribution of grades is often crucial for the school to meet expectations or standards from funding agencies. By intentionally undergrading students, teachers can skew the curve in favor of top performers, securing more favorable outcomes for the institution.

2. To Collect Funding Money from Supporting Agencies

Another motive for demoting students is to ensure continued funding. Academic institutions often rely on grants and funding from external agencies. By keeping a number of students in lower grade categories, teachers can justify the need for ongoing support. This manipulation helps institutions secure funds by maintaining a facade of continuous need for additional resources.

3. Building a Personal Career

Some teachers might manipulate student grades to pad their CVs or research agendas. By failing students, these educators can claim involvement in cases of academic incompetence or poor performance, which they can then use to bolster their professional reputations and secure better employment or research opportunities.

4. Personal Prejudice and Hatred

Personal biases and prejudice can also play a significant role. Teachers with personal dislikes may deliberately hinder the success of specific students by giving them unfairly low grades or making derogatory comments. Such practices can create a hostile learning environment and negatively impact a student's academic and personal well-being.

Personal Anecdotes and Observations

WSU Case - Val Shalin:

At Wright State University (WSU), several instances of teacher manipulation were observed. Val Shalin, a faculty member, intentionally failed a student to maintain funding from supporting agencies. This student was enrolled due to a fictitious disability, which was intended to secure grant money for the school. Such actions perpetuate institutionalized discrimination and academic fraud.

Fordham University Case - Monika McDermott:

At Fordham University, Monika McDermott, a Political Science professor, downgraded a student based on unfounded rumors. She failed to follow her syllabus and provided contradictory grading information. During a grade appeal, the student identified significant procedural violations, highlighting institutional inefficiencies and a lack of transparency in the grading process.

Fordham University Case - Andrew Rasmussen:

Andrew Rasmussen, at Fordham University, engaged in deliberate misadvising by forcing students to take unrecognized courses and then claiming no involvement while the students were forced to pay for these courses. He also fabricated information about the availability of an ombudsman, denying students valuable legal assistance. Such actions not only harm the students but also distort the integrity of the academic system.

Conclusion

The reasons behind teachers holding back students are multifaceted and range from institutional pressures to personal biases. Understanding these motives and their impacts is crucial for ensuring a fair and equitable academic environment. Students, faculty, and administrators must work together to address and prevent such practices to uphold the integrity of the educational system.

Keywords: Teachers holding back students, Grading bias, Academic misconduct, Institutional discrimination, Student experiences