‘I Won’t Sign Your Weird Contract’ : College Student Dodges Unfair Grading via Malicious Compliance, Professor Left Speechless When She Can’t Fail Her

Author image for Eleonora Bader
Eleonora Bader
May 20, 2023 12:00 AM EDT

Study guides are basically the hail mary of every student, but there are professors who don't believe in this practicality — because they would rather encourage their students to read the entire material, adding to the sublime mountain of headache they already have. In my opinion, any professor who does this is simply lazy. Why don't the students just buy the books and not pay for classes? It would certainly be much cheaper. Thanks for adding to the small fortune I owe to the banks called student debt.

It turns out that this professor was one of those types of people. Moreover, she apparently handed out a 'grading contract' that no student had formerly agreed to when they joined her class. This contract asked the students to indicate what grade they wanted at the start of the semester, and if they did not meet the conditions for that grade, they would fail.

To be perfectly frank, I find this ludicrous. In a nutshell — if the students want an A, they either meet the qualifications for said A, or fail — even if they could have gotten a lesser grade and passed the class? It makes no sense. So one student in particular decided that she would not conform to these stupid rules, and via malicious compliance, passed the class without actually doing the final at all.

Scroll down to read her detailed account below. If you're procrastinating at your job and feel like you need some serotonin to make it to the end of the day, you're also welcome to check out these funny work memes.

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  • 01
    Font - r/r/MaliciousCompliance . Posted by u/SunshotDestiny 19 hours ago Have me sign a weird contract or I fail? Ok. MOC Last semester I had to take a class from a professor who wasn't bad as being incompetent, but definitely was one of those "I have a new way to teach that I developed" kind of professors. She also gave the
    via u/SunshotDestiny
  • 02
    Font - vaguest instructions on what she did want in her turned in work, and didn't believe in study guides as she wanted to encourage "reading the material". Honestly I got more out of the book than her class, and buying the book alone would have been far cheaper. Trying to get direction out of this lady was worse than trying to pull teeth, met with mostly "do your best".
    via u/SunshotDestiny
  • 03
    Font - On top of this she apparently handed out a "grading contract" on the first day to everyone we had to sign and return, I missed this due to being sick so I didn't get it until later. Said contract basically boiled down to indicating what grade you wanted at the start of the semester. You either met the conditions for that grade, or you
    via u/SunshotDestiny
  • 04
    Font - would fail. So basically by saying you wanted an A you either met the qualifications for an A or you would fail even if you could have gotten a B or C instead. If you decided to play it safe with saying you wanted a C, even if you exceeded and would normally get a B or A you would just get a C.
    via u/SunshotDestiny
  • 05
    Font - So to cut out a lot of the drama of the semester, two things. First being I had surgery at the beginning of the semester. Second is I was working full time while at school to pay for said school. Both ended up with me missing a lot of work, and normally I would just cut my losses except I am very close to my degree and my professor
    via u/SunshotDestiny
  • 06
    Font - said I could make up the work. Otherwise I would fail and need to retake the class anyway in the spring. So I decided I had nothing to lose and buckled down with basically getting next to no sleep for weeks, I had over a month and a half at least amount of work and two weeks to do it in.
    via u/SunshotDestiny
  • 07
    Font - Now, finally, this is where the malicious compliance comes in. During an exchange where I was emailing my work she told me I still hadn't done her contract. Which at that point only a few weeks out from finals I didn't get the point. But she told me either I did the contract or I would fail. She also had let slip that not doing the final would
    via u/SunshotDestiny
  • 08
    Font - drop you a letter grade, but not fail you. The only exception to her weird contract that wasn't in it, and one I confirmed very deliberately in writing. At this point I was bone tired, and honestly forcing myself to continue working on anything. Which may not sound like much but with my mental health history was herculean effort. I just wanted the pain to stop and a full night's rest.
    via u/SunshotDestiny
  • 09
    Font - So I decided if not doing the final just dropped me by a letter grade, then I would just do the work for a B and end up with the grade I thought was fair for how the semester had gone. This meant for even more work, but it also meant I didn't need to worry about a final and could finally just sleep. Which I explained as much to the
    via u/SunshotDestiny
  • 10
    Font - professor when she asked me why I didn't have a final turned in on the last day. That so far has been the last I ever spoke to or seen of her.
    via u/SunshotDestiny
  • 11
    Font - Imagine my surprise when I actually ended up with an B in her class. Personally I take this to be her never wanting me in her class again, and I don't know if it makes me a b overall. But I do know she apparently has it now not doing the final is an automatic D. So sorry to anyone who got her after me.
    via u/SunshotDestiny
  • 12
    Font - 1955photo - 19 hr. ago That whole thing is insane. I fully expect her grading policy would be shot down in a heartbeat if anyone appealed a grade. Either make what you want, or take an arbitrary F? Not a grade based on your actual work? That's not how grades are supposed to work. Vote Reply Share
    via u/1955photo
  • 13
    Font - FirebirdWriter 6 hr. ago +1. I am assuming none of her students have been on a law track because law students are made of pedantry and would absolutely get this thrown out. Source? I got myself a law degree Vote Reply Share
    via u/FirebirdWriter
  • 14
    Font - VeveMaRe 7 hr. ago Yes, and in the states to be accredited curriculum and syllabi have to be reviewed by a committee. Wow. Reply Share Vote Yingxuan1190. 7 hr. ago A lot of universities also don't care how you grade as long as students aren't complaining. Source: I'm a university lecturer Reply Share Vote
    via u/VeveMaRe, u/Yingxuan
  • 15
    Font - Here_for_tea 13 hr. ago Yes. What a ridiculous professor. It's basically requiring you to gamble your whole semester. Vote Reply Share Vote ipsum629 13 hr. ago Do a power move and eat the contract in front of her ... Reply Share ...
    via u/Here_for_tea_, u/ipsum629
  • 16
    Font - CptGetchagearoff. 12 hr. ago Oh I would sign it, but "name Under duress" Also seems like extorsion. "Sign this thing or you'll fail this class you've already paid money for even though my contract was never part of the agreement" Vote Reply Share
    via u/CptGetchagearoff
  • 17
    Font - deg0ey 16 hr. ago Plot twist: it was an advanced fortune telling class and being able to know the grade you got in advance was the real final exam. Reply Share Vote RoboNinjaPirate. 16 hr. ago Well, that makes sense at Hogwarts I suppose. Vote Reply Share
    via u/degOey, u/RoboNinjaPirate
  • 18
    Font - Pure-Swordfish6022 13 hr. ago Is that you, Professor Trelawney? Reply Share Vote NightGod 16 hr. ago My guess is she just gave everyone what they said they were trying for in the contract, as long as they did the majority of the work with some measure of competence Reply Share Vote ...
    via u/Pure-Swordfish6022, u/NightGod

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Tags

humor bad-professor failing-class university finals malicious compliance rude-teacher smart-student petty revenge grading-contract funny college exams
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