Borg’s Blog

Gabe faces pressure to pass an academically failing athlete in this episode of Welcome Back, Kotter. I have to admit I was once faced the same challenge. It was many years ago when I taught at a community college. A key baseball player flunked my class by means of total non-participation. He was under the misunderstanding that athletes didn’t have to work to pass or maybe someone forget to tell me. The coach remembered to fill me in after the fact.

Our baseball coach was very friendly as he stood in my office doorway. He talked about what a fine young man my failed student was and how important he was to the college baseball team. He almost had me for a moment because I’m a big Cubbies fan. Then it happened. He asked me to change the grade because the school’s destiny depended on my student’s performance on the pitcher’s mound. My response was furious as I verbally threw him out of my office with instructions to never return. I thought the matter closed but I was wrong.

A few days later I was asked to come to the Dean’s office. She sat me down and started a bit of comforting small talk which turned to the fine attributes of our star pitcher and his wonderful family. Then it happened. She repeatedly asked me to change the grade with increasing levels of intensity. I finally capitulated with some conditions of my own.

I agreed to change the grade of this student if she would put her request in writing and sign it. I added that I would also change the grades of every student who had ever failed the course so we wouldn’t risk accusations of favoritism. That’s the last I heard on the matter but I also had a terrible price to pay as the Dean’s wrath was an attack on my application for tenure the following year. I won that battle too and left the school immediately thereafter.

Was doing the right thing worth the price I had to pay? Yes. I can still walk the halls holding my head high. Sure its not the same school but my career has been a richer adventure because I didn’t stay.

You can teach anywhere.