College professor refuses to remove student's late penalty after he proved that he submitted the assignment 13 minutes before the deadline: 'What is the point of a due date then?'

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Ben Weiss • Writer and Editor
Aug 5, 2025 2:00 PM EDT

Everyone remembers that one professor who loved asserting their power, even when they were objectively in the wrong. It's like that scene in the 2003 version of Freaky Friday when Lindsay Lohan's character receives a failing grade on an essay about George Orwell's 1984 despite perfectly understanding the source material. For those of us who are unfortunate to be on the receiving end of situations like this, we know that there's nothing you can do to change your teacher's mind. The best course of action is to speak to their boss. After all, no administrator wants to find out that one of their trusted employees is giving unfair grades to the students they despise.

This college student did everything right. He submitted his paper prior to the deadline with 13 minutes to spare and assumed all was okay… that is, until he saw his grade and noticed a late penalty. At first, he gave his professor the benefit of the doubt and tried to explain, using proof, that he had submitted the paper in time. Well, the professor was not exactly someone who liked to be proven wrong. 

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    Cheezburger Image 10538515968
    via Dom Fou

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • Below you'll find the email exchange between the student and the professor, followed by several encouraging comments from members of this online community. These folks told the student that reasoning with this professor was a lost cause. As we said earlier, the only way to get the grade he deserves would be to go over the professor's head.

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    to Hello Professor How are you? I am writing to you because there was a grading mistake from the assignment that was due on February 1st.
    via videoresume
  • 03
    It shows that you marked off 10 points as a late penalty however as you can see on Canvas, I properly submitted the document in a timely manner before the due date at 11:46 PM on Please let me know whenever you fix the grade. Thank you.
    via videoresume
  • 04
    Hi to me 8:26 PM ↑ I have just now checked and see that the assignment was submitted 13 minutes before the posted due date however you must understand that it was handed in on a last-minute basis which is the reason why you received a late penalty. As a result, I will not be removing the late penalty deduction and would advise you to submit your work no less than an hour before the due date moving forward. Thank you for Thank you. I will Okay. thank
    via videoresume
  • 05
    beathelas "You have 60 minutes to write this test." Hands in test in 59 minutes "You have to understand, that's a last minute effort, so I'm going to deduct points for being too late."
    via videoresume
  • 06
    Fuzzy_Yogurt Bu cket "Time's up! Pencils down. Those of you who just put your pencils down have failed the test because you did not turn it in in time."
    via videoresume
  • 07
    OregonKlee8367 Maybe he should have said that deadline is one hour before Feb 1. then... Go complain to his Boss. We follow the letter of the law not the spirit...
    via videoresume
  • 08
    Anne ElliotWentworth This is completely unacceptable. You need to fight this.
    via videoresume
  • 09
    Affectionate Heart77 What is the point of a due date then? Go to the next in line of power. Don't let it go
    via videoresume
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    ·噼
    via Unsplash+ (Getty Images)

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

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    [deleted] ⚫ Instructor made a mistake and is too petty to go back and change it. So they doubled down. It's obviously against policy; take it to the dean or whomever is in charge of that section of classes.
    via videoresume
  • 12
    Tat2dDad. I'd go to the dean with that response
    via videoresume
  • 13
    ElSpudman Report it. You're paying too much for that
    via videoresume
  • 14
    Grouchy_Document8 107 Go to the dean! That's ridiculous. (or maybe actually go to the relevant upper authority, oops!)
    via videoresume
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    [deleted] ⚫ Wack I used to submit like 1-2 minutes before
    via videoresume
  • 16
    earbud What's the point of a deadline if it's actually not the deadline? Do not engage anymore than you have to with them. Let them know you will be working with administration to resolve this matter.
    via videoresume
  • 17
    Sometimes I_Do_Th at As others have said, fight this. Go above the teacher's head and go to deen.
    via videoresume
  • 18
    ceroscene Hello Professor I have forwarded this email to the department head and cc'd the dean. Thank you
    via videoresume
  • 19
    kitzelbunks ⚫ That's weird I could see if it was 11:46 pm on the first, but not the 31st. I had something due at 6:00 pm once and turned it in at 5:55 pm. It wasn't a problem.
    via videoresume
  • 20
    Shr1mpus. OP please escalate this - having it in writing on record is great and who knows how many others have been subject to this professor's approach and had their grades affected.
    via videoresume

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college student problems teacher Professors entitled people karma mildly infuriating Terrible Teacher college college student entitled people
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