Legal Recourse For Bad Grades

By Amy E. Feldman

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - In the cinematic classic Fast Times at Ridgemont High, high school teacher Mr. Hand asks "What is this fascination with truancy?" A Texas A&M professor no doubt wondered the same thing when he told the students that they were the worst he'd seen in 20 years and that they'd all failed (a month before the end of the semester). The University has said that he couldn't do that. But you pay tuition, how much recourse do you have if you get a bad grade?

Not much, assuming the professor has followed university rules and his own grading scale. That said, a student isn't completely without recourse.

First, go see the professor to discuss what you can do differently. If that doesn't work talk to your academic advisor or the chairperson of the department. If you think that you were treated badly because of discrimination, talk to university officials. But if the real reason is that you didn't study, you'll probably be told just what Mr. Hand told Spicoli: why do shamelessly waste my time like this?