That's Educational

I don't think I'm going out on a limb by saying that many of us who are students hate the grading curve. It negates something vitally important: context. With three or four professors over a single subject at some universities, it's no secret that a grading curve can turn a good grade into a bad grade very, very fast.

Brian Marquis of U-Mass took his C personally, with a fifteen-count lawsuit against the university for "civil rights violations" and infliction of "emotional stress". Mercy me.

As reported by The Boston Globe, the suit has been dismissed, but it looks like Marquis will be continuing to pursue the case. If you'd really like to, you can also read the man's filed complaint.

My natural tendency is to call the guy a dipwad and move on to more stupid flash games, but let me play devil's advocate here: think about the impact that a grade can have on your future. Your future career could be affected if a professor assigns you a C because he/she doesn't like the cut of your jib. If damages are determined by all future harm you may experience, the guy may have a point.

Still the fact remains that suing over a grade feels. . . immature somehow.

Required context: The guy's 51.