Look kids, something worthy to protest.
http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/metro/gwinnett/0505/04neace.html
Thats the website, but it cause you to spend about 15 minutes signing up for AJC in order to get the article.
***
Grade controversy at Dacula
School system denies claim of preferential treatment for athlete
By LAURA DIAMOND
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 05/04/05
Gwinnett school officials banished a veteran science teacher from school property after he refused to raise the grade he gave a student athlete who fell asleep in class, the teacher's lawyer said Tuesday.
But school officials say Dacula High physics teacher Larry Neace was barred from Gwinnett's campuses for insubordination because he repeatedly refused to comply with a district policy prohibiting teachers from using grades to discipline students.
Neace, who has taught at Dacula for 23 years, remains on the school district's payroll. His case will be discussed during a public hearing scheduled for Thursday.
Neace's lawyer, Michael Kramer of Atlanta, said Dacula High's principal ordered Neace to change a grade he gave a football player on a lab assignment.
"What we have in this case is a case of a pampered football athlete sleeping in class and being given favored treatment on an academic grade," Kramer said. "What we have here is the principal essentially attempting to coerce and intimidate a teacher on behalf of the football coach and parent."
Sloan Roach, spokeswoman for the district, disputed Kramer's allegations.
"This case is not about a student-athlete or the principal's actions," Roach said in a prepared statement. "This case is about Mr. Neace's actions and his repeated failure to comply with school board policy."
Barry Cheek, whose son received the reduced mark, said his child's playing on the football team had nothing to do with Neace's current employment situation.
"[Neace] refused to do something his superiors asked him to do," Cheek said. "My son being a football player had nothing to do with it. What's right is right. What's fair is fair."
Students have been rallying to support Neace, who's nickname is "Doc," since he left school April 14. Last week, students put up posters in Dacula High's hallways reading, "Where's Doc?" and "Free Neace." Other students wore T-shirts protesting the principal's action or passed out fliers saying, "Forget the whales, save Doc." At the senior dinner Monday night, some students chanted "Doc" during the principal's speech.
Students also circulated a petition asking administrators to reinstate Neace.
Dacula High principal Donnie Nutt did not return phone message left at the school seeking comment.
Roach said the dispute began after Neace handed out an assignment that was due the next day. One student fell asleep during class the day the assignment was made, but turned in the work on time, she said. The student earned a perfect score, but Neace reduced the mark by half because the student fell asleep in class, she said.
"This action is a direct contradiction to the school system's policy on grading," Roach said.
Neace said he developed his own policy about 10 years ago that students who waste time in class - by sleeping, playing games or engaging in other mindless activities - receive a penalty grade. The penalty can be a zero or half credit depending on the assignment, he said.
Several students have received zeroes and half credits this school year, Neace said.
"I've never been reprimanded or punished or told to change the grade before," Neace said.
Roach said she did not know why Neace's actions were challenged this time. She said additional facts will be presented during Thursday's hearing.
The state has no policy specifying when principals can change or order teachers to change students' grades, said Dana Tofig, spokesman for the Georgia Department of Education. Tofig said it is a local issue.
Roach said she did not know if the district has a policy regarding whether principals can change grades.
"That's not the issue here," Roach said. "This is an issue of Mr. Neace's refusal to abide with school policy."
Gary Walker, director of educator ethics division for the Georgia Professional Standards Commission, said some educators are concerned that there is no state policy.
"There was some discussion during the session about this but nothing happened," Walker said. "In the absence of a state policy, the principal is considered the chief instructional leader of a school and is typically charged with making sure grades for students are appropriate."
Without a state rule or policy, administrators can change grades or force teachers to give out certain grades, Kramer said. "This is a dirty secret in public schools," Kramer said. "There is this favoritism and teachers are forced to change grades. It is just wrong."
Neace, 61, said he reviews his classroom policies with his students on the first day of class.
"We all know that if you sleep in Doc's class you can get a zero," said junior Alisha Crowder, one of the organizers of the petition drive.
***
For those of you still reading I will give you some insider information I know because me ma is also a science teacher. Basically this teacher, Larry Neace, is a sixty year old real hardass who will give you a 50 or a zero on assignments if you slept in class while you were suppose to be doing them. This is against county policy, technically, because it is punishing behavior through grades. But he has done it many times this year already and many times before in the past.
Until now with this mother fucking football player.
The class is doing a LAB in class and the dumbass sleeps through the whole thing. A worksheet goes along with the lab that is to be done as your completing the lab. So a kid who sleeps through the lab (thereby refusing to participate) should be unable to complete a worksheet that is filled only with questions pertaining to what was done in the classroom.
Well this football player comes in the next day, turns in a completed worksheet, and expects a 100 because it is alright. Neace gives him a zero.
Principle orders him to change it. Neace refuses. Principle orders him to change the football player's grade and Neace refuses because he feels it is morally wrong to give a grade to a kid who failed to rightfully do the assignment. So the principle has filed for Neace to be fired under insubordination.
Mother fucker. You see enough preferential treatment of athletes in college.
Thats the website, but it cause you to spend about 15 minutes signing up for AJC in order to get the article.
***
Grade controversy at Dacula
School system denies claim of preferential treatment for athlete
By LAURA DIAMOND
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 05/04/05
Gwinnett school officials banished a veteran science teacher from school property after he refused to raise the grade he gave a student athlete who fell asleep in class, the teacher's lawyer said Tuesday.
But school officials say Dacula High physics teacher Larry Neace was barred from Gwinnett's campuses for insubordination because he repeatedly refused to comply with a district policy prohibiting teachers from using grades to discipline students.
Neace, who has taught at Dacula for 23 years, remains on the school district's payroll. His case will be discussed during a public hearing scheduled for Thursday.
Neace's lawyer, Michael Kramer of Atlanta, said Dacula High's principal ordered Neace to change a grade he gave a football player on a lab assignment.
"What we have in this case is a case of a pampered football athlete sleeping in class and being given favored treatment on an academic grade," Kramer said. "What we have here is the principal essentially attempting to coerce and intimidate a teacher on behalf of the football coach and parent."
Sloan Roach, spokeswoman for the district, disputed Kramer's allegations.
"This case is not about a student-athlete or the principal's actions," Roach said in a prepared statement. "This case is about Mr. Neace's actions and his repeated failure to comply with school board policy."
Barry Cheek, whose son received the reduced mark, said his child's playing on the football team had nothing to do with Neace's current employment situation.
"[Neace] refused to do something his superiors asked him to do," Cheek said. "My son being a football player had nothing to do with it. What's right is right. What's fair is fair."
Students have been rallying to support Neace, who's nickname is "Doc," since he left school April 14. Last week, students put up posters in Dacula High's hallways reading, "Where's Doc?" and "Free Neace." Other students wore T-shirts protesting the principal's action or passed out fliers saying, "Forget the whales, save Doc." At the senior dinner Monday night, some students chanted "Doc" during the principal's speech.
Students also circulated a petition asking administrators to reinstate Neace.
Dacula High principal Donnie Nutt did not return phone message left at the school seeking comment.
Roach said the dispute began after Neace handed out an assignment that was due the next day. One student fell asleep during class the day the assignment was made, but turned in the work on time, she said. The student earned a perfect score, but Neace reduced the mark by half because the student fell asleep in class, she said.
"This action is a direct contradiction to the school system's policy on grading," Roach said.
Neace said he developed his own policy about 10 years ago that students who waste time in class - by sleeping, playing games or engaging in other mindless activities - receive a penalty grade. The penalty can be a zero or half credit depending on the assignment, he said.
Several students have received zeroes and half credits this school year, Neace said.
"I've never been reprimanded or punished or told to change the grade before," Neace said.
Roach said she did not know why Neace's actions were challenged this time. She said additional facts will be presented during Thursday's hearing.
The state has no policy specifying when principals can change or order teachers to change students' grades, said Dana Tofig, spokesman for the Georgia Department of Education. Tofig said it is a local issue.
Roach said she did not know if the district has a policy regarding whether principals can change grades.
"That's not the issue here," Roach said. "This is an issue of Mr. Neace's refusal to abide with school policy."
Gary Walker, director of educator ethics division for the Georgia Professional Standards Commission, said some educators are concerned that there is no state policy.
"There was some discussion during the session about this but nothing happened," Walker said. "In the absence of a state policy, the principal is considered the chief instructional leader of a school and is typically charged with making sure grades for students are appropriate."
Without a state rule or policy, administrators can change grades or force teachers to give out certain grades, Kramer said. "This is a dirty secret in public schools," Kramer said. "There is this favoritism and teachers are forced to change grades. It is just wrong."
Neace, 61, said he reviews his classroom policies with his students on the first day of class.
"We all know that if you sleep in Doc's class you can get a zero," said junior Alisha Crowder, one of the organizers of the petition drive.
***
For those of you still reading I will give you some insider information I know because me ma is also a science teacher. Basically this teacher, Larry Neace, is a sixty year old real hardass who will give you a 50 or a zero on assignments if you slept in class while you were suppose to be doing them. This is against county policy, technically, because it is punishing behavior through grades. But he has done it many times this year already and many times before in the past.
Until now with this mother fucking football player.
The class is doing a LAB in class and the dumbass sleeps through the whole thing. A worksheet goes along with the lab that is to be done as your completing the lab. So a kid who sleeps through the lab (thereby refusing to participate) should be unable to complete a worksheet that is filled only with questions pertaining to what was done in the classroom.
Well this football player comes in the next day, turns in a completed worksheet, and expects a 100 because it is alright. Neace gives him a zero.
Principle orders him to change it. Neace refuses. Principle orders him to change the football player's grade and Neace refuses because he feels it is morally wrong to give a grade to a kid who failed to rightfully do the assignment. So the principle has filed for Neace to be fired under insubordination.
Mother fucker. You see enough preferential treatment of athletes in college.