Right and Wrong

The ethics of my job are rarely blurred for me. Even if I don't want to make a decision, usually a few minutes reviewing my syllabus and thinking about all the other kids in the class who've done what they're supposed to makes me make the right decision, and stick by the policies that apply to everyone, and not make exceptions.

But today, doing the right thing really feels wrong. I have a student who is failing, because he has missed so much class. He is also deeply, deeply troubled. I won't go into too much detail, but he's been through more in his freshman year in college than most of us have in lifetimes: losing 2 people who were very close to him, a life-threatening illness, and a hard and fast belief that the campus paper is why he was admitted, despite all evidence to the contrary. He also pays his own way to school.

He has worked so hard in my class. I literally cried when I realized he wasn't in class yesterday. I can't say he hadn't been warned: not only in the syllabus, but I notify all my students of their absences in writing at the mid point. And there was the email after the absence before last, warning him. I've also made exceptions in the past: extending doctor's excuses, and excusing 1 day simply because it was still early in the semester. I accepted tons of work later than I would for others... I know I've done right by this guy. But failing him feels like just that: letting him down, failing him in so many ways.