On Tue, 4 Oct 2016 20:19:20 -0500, Martin Eastburn
wrote:

As we all know grades are often dependent on the Professor/teacher/....
curves them to. Looks bad to fail all of the deadheads so one scales up
the grades. Been there seen it. Even 50 years ago.

My 4th grade History teacher used to bore us to death in class all day
with talks of where she'd been, which we'd quickly tune out. Then the
test would be comprised entirely on said boring lectures which had
nothing to do with the official textbook. She refused to grade on a
curve, so the highest grade in her class was a C-. The parents got
wind of this, joined together at a PTA meeting, and reamed her ass but
_good_. It seems that the Principal wasn't entirely thrilled that she
was teacher her own personal history to the kids and things got better
in a hurry.

OTOH, one of my 3rd grade teachers, Mrs. Singleton, was a stout and
strict old battleax who, once everyone got the picture, became the
sweetest, most endearing and brilliant teacher, one who got the kids
engaged enough to really want to learn. None of us ever forgot her.

--
Good ideas alter the power balance in relationships, that is why
good ideas are always initially resisted. Good ideas come with a
heavy burden. Which is why so few people have them. So few people
can handle it.
-- Hugh Macleod