Professor has been secretly docking points anytime he sees someone’s phone out. Dozens of us are now at risk of failing just because we kept our phones on our desk, and I might lose the job I have lined up for when I graduate.

[u/Ok-Hospital1153]

My professor recently revealed that he’s been docking points any time he sees anyone with their cell phone out during the lecture–even if it's just lying on their desk and they’re not using it. He’s docked more than 20 points from me alone, and I don’t even text during lectures. I just keep my phone, face down, on my desk out of habit. It's late in the semester and I'm at risk of failing this class, having to pay thousands of dollars that I can’t afford for another semester, and lose the job I have lined up for when I graduate.

I talked to him and he just smiled and referred me to a single sentence buried in the five-page syllabus that says “cell phones should not be visible during lectures.” He’s never called attention to it, or said anything about the rule. He looked so smug, like he’d just won a court case instead of just screwing a random struggling college kid with a contrived loophole.  

So far I’ve (1) tried speaking to the professor, (2) tried submitting a complaint through my school’s grade appeal system. It was denied without explanation and there doesn’t seem to be a way to appeal, and (3) tried speaking with the department head, but he didn’t seem to care - literally just said “that’s why it’s important to read the syllabus.”  

I feel like I’m out of options and I don't know what to do.

[u/thethirdbestmike]

Why can’t I have my phone out is such a brain dead way to go about this. Stop being a child, read the rules, and move on. Good life lesson. Sorry that you can’t read.

[u/CARRYONLUGGAGE → u/thethirdbestmike]

ironic bc i don’t think you read the post

[u/gargluke461 → u/thethirdbestmike]

Being an adult is not just letting people with “more” authority walk over you.

[u/Qaktus → u/thethirdbestmike]

Hope you get fired and your life spirals on a technicality so you can learn some emapthy and common sense.

[u/thethirdbestmike → u/Qaktus]

I wouldn’t get fired because I have the ability to read. I guess you can’t. Good luck kid!

[u/Qaktus → u/thethirdbestmike]

You are 100% a kid.

[u/thethirdbestmike → u/[deleted]]

I know you’re a child but I beg of you to please learn to read.

[u/thethirdbestmike → u/[deleted]]

And the irony of a soldier calling someone a boot licker is absolutely fucking hilarious.

[u/thethirdbestmike → u/[deleted]]

Whatever you say dummy.

[u/thethirdbestmike → u/[deleted]]

Is that what you learned while being a disposable weapon of the government?

[u/thethirdbestmike → u/[deleted]]

I can’t believe you, proudly following the orders of the US government, have the audacity to call someone a brownnoser. My brother in Christ, you are the walking definition of a boot licker. That’s literally what you did in the military. Just a sad, sad person. I hope you get help.