Letter from the Editor

To the reader,

My friend told me a strange, if not frustrating, story about her professor.

It went something like this: “I had to leave class early the other day because I was sick. That night, I emailed my professor to apologize, and to explain my situation. Unfortunately, she did not take kindly to my message. Instead she insisted I was not telling the truth. She called me a liar, and threatened my grade. She additionally asserted that I was stupid, and was completely demeaning.”

As a college student, I found myself disheartened by this story. Not only was the professor out of line, but she was also completely unprofessional and failed to represent the supposed atmosphere of HVCC. That said, I’d like to use this letter to address this issue.

First, to the professor, be careful how you talk to students. The kids are not in high school anymore, and it is not your job to be a guardian angel, a life administrator, or an interpreter of every action.

Your job is to teach the class. Realize that if a student leaves your class early, it is their fault for missing notes or homework. I also suggest you stop taking this sort of thing personally. Students leave class for all types of reasons, and most have nothing to do with you.

To the student, if a teacher threatens your grade, or behaves unreasonably, or erratically, there is a whole chain of people you can go to: department heads, deans, and even vice presidents.

Bottom line, a teacher who bullies you over a minor issue is out of line. Do not let anyone treat you like this.

However, if you can avoid leaving class, you should.

For one, you will miss notes and other important information, and let’s face it, packing your bags and walking out is noisy and distracting.

And as always,

Go Vikings!