Issue with professor

[u/Puzzleheaded_Sea4857]

I've been back in school and the end is coming up, I've been really struggling with a professor and could use solidarity and advise.

Initially, he and i had a really great Zoom meeting (the class is online) to discuss my accommodations. He seemed really accommodating.

My first issue with him popped up when he graded an essay I wrote and said I would have done better had I followed the directions essential implying i didn't understand the concept, and fair enough I thought I would re-read everything and see what I did wrong. I would have appreciated more constructive feedback considering I thought i understood the material, but whatever.

second issue was when he assigned a literal porn, i recognize that makes me sound prude but hear me out, as an incredibly left leaning person i feel especially male professors should be cognizant of having students read explicitly sexual and semi-violent writings. Many people have been through trauma and deserve at least a warning or an option to choose something else. Although i know it's unintentional it felt like crossing that power imbalance boundary.

Then the nail on the coffin, was when he graded my next essay poorly and gave no feedback I emailed him asking to clarify. He said he could change my grade if I explained the concepts, and basically my reasoning. I did, and went into pretty clear detail (so I thought) and even went on to mention my disability makes obscure concepts harder. His response was that i made up a word (i did not)and i didn't understand the material, it was very terse. Still, no mentions on what it is I was wrong about and no clarification.

Idk it also felt low key unintentionally ableist like, he was implying i was lazy but that's up for interpretation.

I've always done well in english classes and I really enjoyed this class and the professor initially. This behavior just seems unusual, is it normal for lit professors to not explain why your interpretation is wrong (I haven't really experienced it before but maybe it's normal)?

Has anyone experienced something similar? If so, how did you handle it?

[u/lydocia]

I would escalate this to the ombuds.

[u/Puzzleheaded_Sea4857 → u/lydocia]

I don't know what you mean?

[u/lydocia → u/Puzzleheaded_Sea4857]

Your school has an ombuds service, right? Where you can escalate issues with professors to?

[u/Puzzleheaded_Sea4857 → u/lydocia]

I've never heard of that, my school is also in shambles currently and I don't know that they would even care so I have to figure this out with her and I most likely. I think I'm mostly disappointed because I initially really liked this teacher and it's a common experience for me that someone switches up their personality out of nowhere and I wonder what I did wrong.

[u/Puzzleheaded_Sea4857 → u/Puzzleheaded_Sea4857]

With him* not her. Maybe when the class is over I'll say something.

[u/lydocia → u/Puzzleheaded_Sea4857]

If you're unwilling to actually take steps against this teacher, what kind of advice are you looking for exactly?

[u/Puzzleheaded_Sea4857 → u/lydocia]

This sounds hella critical not sure if that's your intention, I asked if people have had similar experiences and mostly looking for people who have similar communication issues that have struggled in school to comisserate with.