I know someone attending a chiropractic college who has recently been dismissed from school less than six months before graduation.
This person, whom we will call Sue, was admittedly on academic probation due to an earlier circumstance in which outside life interfered with school and grades.
Since returning to school, she has done everything asked of her in every class, including getting decent to very good grades.
This past trimester, however, Sue missed several quizzes in a pharmacology class (a class about drugs in a chiropractic school of all things). Missing these quizzes was not a big deal. Sue ended up doing very well in the class despite that.
However, the teacher, who happened to be leaving the school at the end of the trimester, decided to change a number of things on the syllabus near the end, including the weight quizzes carried in her class. This was unbeknownst to the class. As a result, she failed Sue, which the school then took as a violation of academic probation and dismissed her.
Now, Sue can re-apply to this chiropractic college and if accepted, will have to start over again in the first trimester.
My question is this: Does this constitute educational malpractice and should Sue hire a lawyer?
To my understanding, a syllabus is a contract with a class, so if that is changed at the end of a trimester without an agreement from every student in the class, that would not hold up if challenged.
Am I right or wrong? Let me know in the comments below.
{ 15 comments… read them below or add one }
I am good friends with this student. She had previously taken the class for 8 weeks when she needed to take a leave of absence for a trimester. She had basically already taken most of the class.
This second time around she only missed 2 quizzes. According to how the teacher said she would grade (also in the syllabus), the student would have passed the class with her other assignments and final exam grades. However, the teacher decided to change things at the last second w/o telling anyone. Because she changed it for the whole class, the school stood behind the teacher.
So who does the school stand behind? A teacher who is leaving the school and did not stand by her syllabus? Or a student who got a passing grade according to the syllabus and is about to graduate in 2 trimesters and be an awesome Chiropractor?! Hmmm.
And she has to not just reapply or appeal and start where she left off, but would have to start ALL OVER AGAIN?! Can we say money hungry?
WOW. It’s baffling to me how the system can do that to individuals who clearly want to learn, and succeed. I myself have had academic difficulties while in DC school, and have had to start from scratch. When will they take each case as an idividual and realize that passion for chiropracTIC is more important than having to retake a class or two? Who needs more Chiros that have no idea why they are practicing?? Maybe the answer is to change Chiropractic in America from the outside in…aka… maybe we should take the PHILOSOHPY to the masses in the rest of the world, turn their power on, and show America what its’s really about. How ChiropracTIC started in the first place. Stand up and be proud! Innate baby!
WOW !!!!!!!
Lawyer up fast as possible ask for monetary compensation, defamation of character and everything else the lawyer says.
I bet this doesn’t happen in medical school
Good luck to her
Sue there respective hind parts!!! That is an out rage!!!!
Tatum, at Parker they have now changed it that if you fail one class you have to retake the whole trimester. That is madness to me. I just don’t get it. If you fail a class, yes that is your repsonsibility so you should have to retake it. But, to have to retake ALL the other classes you passed? What?
John, I just heard from her. She has hired a lawyer. They feel there is enough to investigate and pursue and they are taking on the case! Whoot! Yes, she will need to be compensated b/c now she is out of school (it was too late to transfer to another school), she has a family to take care of. She will either have to start over or if she transfers, will be a few trimesters/quarters behind. AND she won’t be able to work and provide for her family even longer now b/c of this mess. You get the idea…she definitley deserves compensation. I am not a sue happy person, but she HAS to fight this one.
And I agree, my thoughts exactly, bet this wouldn’t happen in med school. Ugh!
Wow. This is AWFUL! The only thing I remember in a syllabus about a teacher’s right to change is (I think): the teacher can change something if he/she gives the class a two week notice. However, I think (that word, again) that only applies to future endeavors (i.e. upcoming quizzes and exams). To change the ENTIRE grading process midway through is ridiculous!
That’s MESSED up!!! I always thought a syllabus was a clear representation to the students what was expected of them. It’s NOT fair to change that at will. Students plan their lives around those things. Legal action should be pursued for sure.
I don’t know the answer to this particular situation, but we as chiropractors are going to have to get together and start sueing the chiropractic colleges, the CCE, and the state boards for harm against the students and the chiropractic principles.
Take a look at this case where a medical student in Florida was expelled a quarter before graduation. He sued the college for tuition, expenses, and future earnings. Initially the state awarded him half tuition reimbursement plus interest, but later the Florida Supreme court found it acceptable for him to seek loss in future earnings. The student had already been accepted for residency in a reputable family practice setting he later had to forfeit due to the outcome of his dismissal.
Similar to the medical student, this chiropractic student also had a solid associateship lined up immediately following graduation.
http://www.verdictsearch.com/index.jsp?do=news&rep=recent&art=150982
You know what Dr. Doble, I wouldn’t be surprised to see that happen one day. Especially with all this talk of chiros wanting to prescribe painkillers, do needle EMGs, and manipulation under anesthesia. My alma mater is in full support of that crap. Eventually we might only be left with Sherman as a true chiropractic school.
Things seem to just keep getting more and more interesting these days. Unfortunately the wrong kind of interesting. I hope everything works out well for her.
Well well well… if this isn’t proof that subluxation is real. Unbelievable! I would definitely seek counsel. If Palmer doesn’t accept you as a student, DON’T GIVE UP! Many of the upper cervical doctors had to struggle going to schools like Logan and trust me… kites only fly against the wind. Heck, transfer to Logan and come to our student nights at the atlas institute. Chiropractic isn’t taught any longer at “Chiropractic” schools anyway. Sherman is the real winner!
I can’t believe that this was at Parker?
If you want I will talk to Dr. Mancini about this or even the board at Parker. I am outraged and I feel like flying to Dallas and giving them a piece of my mind.
Lets start a Petition and make our voice be heard! We can get as many people as we need. Just think if we can’t do this, then how is our profession ever going to grow?
I think she should look deep inside herself and determine if what she really wants to be is a chiropractor. If so, then get to class and make school a priority because what she might learn is that some of our best teachers teach us what not to be.
No Dr. La Starza, this was not at Parker. They may support needle EMG and MUA, but I don’t think our alma mater would do THIS to someone.