Trying to fire a teacher without getting suspended?

Question

I just received my report card for fourth quarter, and my video production teacher gave me an F. I feel that I do not deserve that F as I did all the projects that he requested and with much effort too. Although the last project i turned was a film in which I made fun of him. It was JUST a parody.but I think that he found it offensive and gave me an F based on that personal matter. He (to me and MANY of the students) is not qualified for this job. He has no education in video production and NEVER taught us anything. I basically had to self-teach myself. Also, he is unrealible in grading. For example, he projected the grades once and one of the student's percentage was 86%, but he gave her a C. Also he was fired from the last school for throwing a chair at a student. I want something to be done. ideally for him to be fired, but anything to stop his horrible "teaching" will satisfy me. I was thinking of a petition or a website?some students complained to the counselor but they didnt help

Answer 1

OK... Let's take this a step at a time.. This is not an easy answer

Let's start with the first one. YOur film. Doing a "parody" on your teacher was probably NOT the brightest idea. You don't cover yourself in raw meat and walk into a lion's den, so why would you do that? Whereas you may not have deserved and F on the project, as for lack of thought, you get the F.

Not qualified. That's subjective, but, I'll give you that.

Some schools hire teachers out of NEED. The school year is about to start and they don't have a teacher and PRESTO, one shows up. Not saying this is right, just saying it happens.

Getting fired from last job. IF what you say is true, I am pretty shocked he could get hired. I have a feeling there is more to that story, but that's just me.

Now to the real question. Getting him fired. Well, I am making an assumption here that he's NOT tenure, meaning he hasn't been there 5 years. Teachers are supposed to be "observed" twice a year and that is how they are "graded". The principal makes recommendations and that is how contracts are awarded. If he is tenure, you basically are stuck.

YOu can start a petition, but, its going to take more than that.

You said the counselor didn't help, so go to the principal and talk. you need a GROUP, not just you. YOu can be the "spokesperson", but the other people need to be there.

You walk a really fine line here. I am going to say this, your "principles" are sound, you just have to get people to listen. Being obnoxious or disruptive and causing a seen WILL get you suspended. If you do it within the limits of the "law", you will be heard.

If all else fails, you can talk it to the School Board. If that comes, you better be prepared.

The EASIEST suggestion, and maybe the most practical, is more of a "sit down strike". If EVERYONE in this person's class wants to be "transferred" to a different class, your voice will be heard because SOMEONE is going to have to look into it.

Answer 2

First of all, I keep reading threads here about, "How do I get a teacher fired?".  That is NOT the job of a student, and you might as well give up on it.  It is vindictive and mean.  I don't think you have any idea of how much harm firing a person can do, and no school is going to base this on a disgruntled student's complaints.  You can register a complaint, but the only way that will result in a firing is if yours is one of many over time, and the administration decides that the teacher isn't doing his job.

Secondly, what were you thinking?  He was your teacher, he was grading you, he is clearly NOT a much-loved teacher, and you turned in a project in which you made fun of him?  Surely you realized that this would result in a negative reaction from him?  You can make fun of someone who KNOWS it is meant lovingly, but to parody someone who is already unpopular is mean and would be taken that way.  That isn't a personal matter.  That was a matter of your begging him for an F.  

The only thing that you have suggested that could be a problem is your comment that he never taught you anything.  Giving people bad grades doesn't make him a bad teacher.  Not having background in the field, unfortunately, just means that no one did, and he was good enough to fill in to teach something that the school wanted to offer.  That isn't his fault.  What he did at his last school has no bearing on his performance at your school.  You will NEVER get a response from anyone of you focus on his grading, his training, or rumors of his behavior at another school.

Your best bet would be to make it clear what you think you SHOULD be taught in a class in video production, then compare that to what you have been taught.  It would probably result in the same teacher meeting with his supervisor to discuss whether or not your suggestions are reasonable, and may come to nothing, or it may lead to his getting some knowledge on the things he should be teaching.

Answer 3

To be perfectly honest, unless the teacher can show you a rubric that explains how he graded your project, he was grading subjectively, which means whatever he gives you is what he felt you deserved.  As long as the film was not offensive (there is a fine line) there may have been other things wrong with the film-- but again a rubric would need to be seen.

Did you try talking to him CALMLY and as maturely as possible about why you received an F?  Whenever my students come to me saying "What the h**l!  That's not fair!  I worked really hard!"  It totally turns me off from wanting to explain much to them at all.  When they come to me saying, "Hi, I was just wondering what I did wrong to get an F on this project" I am more than happy to show them the rubric and take into account anything that they feel was graded wrongly.  Teachers are not always masters at everything they teach the first time they teach it.  I had to teach World Cultures last year.  I'd never taught that or really learned about it before.  But I did the best I could.  I felt that teaching it this year went much better than last year because I had some experience under my belt.

I think it's really easy for students to forget that teachers are people, too.  And that they have feelings just like everyone else.  Maybe you are right--this guy maybe had no idea what he was doing in video production.  But maybe he also just got stuck teaching it and was doing whatever he could with it.

I'm also sorry to say it and I'm not implying anything about you-- but when I have students complain about the sort of thing your are saying about this guy, like that "he never taught us anything" and what not, I have to take a step back because I've never sent students into something like a video project without giving them guidance and some pre-teaching.  It wasn't always a master's guide to whatever we're doing, but I would also be very willing to help anyone who has some trouble.  But I always get kids who think that I didn't teach them how to do that or that I wouldn't help them.  But I've always put myself out there as an available source of help.  I've done the best I can for only teaching 2 and 1/2 years.  

I just think you're being a little hasty in whating to get this poor guy fired.  Maybe he is a jerk.  But how often do you have to have him in class after this year?  Forget about it.  Everyone has bad teachers.  I had bad teachers.  You just move on.  You don't have to try to get everyone fired or sue everyone who you think wrongs you.

Answer 4

You have to get the parents involved. Schools ALWAYS ignore the students.

Have as many students as possible write down all their concerns about the teacher. Include that he was fired for throwing chairs (THE IDIOT)

Have as many parents as possible go together to the principal and take the students letters with them.

They ask principal what is going to be done about it all. If nothing is done within a specific time frame  (1 week maybe?) they will all go to the superintendent together.

For the parents that can't go, have them write a letter voicing their concerns and include the letter that the student wrote. Make sure they send the letter certified mail so the school can not say they didn't get it. Cause believe me, they'll try to.

Answer 5

Get your high school diploma. Run for your local school board. Then make a motion to get this teacher fired. That is how you can get him fired without getting suspended. Right now, it is not YOUR job to get him fired. Tell your parents to talk to the principal. The principal can recommend that his contract not be renewed if he is really a bad teacher.

Answer 6

Three words here without being harsh, "not your lane".  If the teacher has issues that could cause that teacher to be fired, the proper channels should be sought by people who can make it happen.  Students can only provide proof, if any, to their parents and let the parents decide how to handle it.  Grading is typically not one of the areas that will quickly get a teacher fired for the most part.  I have seen teachers that failed a higher percentage of students than they passed, but that didn't get them fired.

Answer 7

Wow!  There is so much in this that it is hard to begin.

A "parody" of your teacher is not the smartest way to approach an assignment, even if that was what was asked of you.  However, if the assignment was "Make a movie about a superhero" and you turned in a parody of your teacher, then the F you got was deserved.

The whole thing about him not being qualified / not teaching you anything / getting fired from his last job is also all questionable.  I bet if you step back from this one grade, you'd discover that he did teach you something.  And maybe the most important thing that he could teach you is "Don't bite the hand that feeds you!"  If your teacher is going to give you a grade, I wouldn't make a film about your teacher that showed your teacher in a negative light.  Rubrics are not required and they certainly don't have to be shown to the students.  If the teacher is asked by his department head or Principal, he may have to defend his grade, but teachers do not have to come down to the level of the student and do what students demand.  I taught for 6 years and was constantly asked to make study guides for my units and tests.  My response was "No.  I'm not going to do the work that you need to do and put on paper what are the most important points here.  You need to learn how to take notes."

Yes, there are less-than-qualified teachers out there, but eventually, their lack of qualifications will catch up with them.  There is really no need to try to actively get the teacher fired.  Most administrations will dig in behind their choices for teachers and get very defensive about petitions and attempts at getting teachers fired.  Take the F and go on with your life.  WHat's the big deal?