Boy Sues Math Teacher Who Assigned Summer Homework

Teen, Dad Say School Has No Authority Over Students During Summer.

MILWAUKEE -- A suburban Milwaukee teen and his dad are suing the boy's math teacher for assigning homework to be done over summer vacation.


They are seeking to bar homework assignments over the summer.


Peer Larson, a 17-year-old student at Whitnall High School, and his father, Bruce Larson of Hales Corners, contend in the suit which stemmed from an assignment in a math class that school officials have no legal authority to make students do homework over the summer because the state-required 180-day school year is over.

www.local6.com...

So... what do you guys think.... what would you do if it was your kid ?

Do you think teachers should be allowed to assign homework over the summer?

Yes, and it should be counted as part of the students' grades.

Yes, but it should not be counted for a grade.

No, summer is time off.

I don't think he should have to do mandatory work if he did not fail the class. It's that simple IMO.

Well now thats pretty assinine. What do they mean, the teacher doesn't have the authority? Since when do they have 'authority' to do anything? There aren't any laws regulating the assignment of homework.

Suing the school district for trying to educate this kid!? Give me a break! When I was growing up we had assigned reading to do over the summer as well as either a research project (A report) or a set of math problems to be solved. These things taught me that there is no vacation from learning and that by constantly challenging one's intellect will make you both smarter and diligent.

This is the problem with today's youth and their (dare I call them...) "parents". This is why our children are now scoring in the lower percentiles for math, science and reading in the industrialized world... NO WORK ETHIC! This is simply another example of the moronification of a nation at the enabling of over-protective (And often stupid) parents.

This lawsuit should be immediately dismissed and the kid should be held back a grade until he is willing to do the work expected of him to move forward. Remember, the REAL world does NOT offer merit advancements as a civil right; they are a reward for work well done. And also, there is NO ENTITLEMENT to having the summer off in the REAL world.

Give me a freaking break!!!

I agree with Kozmo, God forbid we learn anything. Maybe if we had more good teachers like that, we wouldnt have so many "retards" in positions of authority.

Under the current structure, no. No assigned mandatory work over a summer vacation. Summer vacation is usually between grades too, so how is the teacher trying to implement this?

But, I should mention I don’t agree with 3 month long school vacations. School all year long baby!! About time this country started to become educated again...

Originally posted by skippytjc
Under the current structure, no. No assigned mandatory work over a summer vacation. Summer vacation is usually between grades too, so how is the teacher trying to implement this?

I'd think that the school itself could over see it. Or perhaps they are witholding this students grades until the teacher reviews the work.

But, I should mention I don’t agree with 3 month long school vacations. School all year long baby!! About time this country started to become educated again
Indeed, why give students any time off? In the real world one doesn't get off just because its nice out.

In this case I don't think it's up the the teacher to give work when both students and teachers are off.

It should be the parent's (and student's) call to do extra schooling, not the teacher. That's my point. I also had to read during the summers....when i was 10, not 17.

I don't see how the teacher plans on checking up on this kid or anyone else. Unless this kid failed a class and is taking summer school or is going to repeat this teachers class again he can't make this kid do anything. He had his turn at getting this kid to do homework and now it's over. The kid isn't in his class anymore.

It would be like having your 3rd grade teacher give you homework after passing the 3rd grade and moving on to the 4th. It's too late then. I thought that was pretty much standard knowledge. Am I missing something???

Originally posted by Nygdan

Originally posted by skippytjc
Under the current structure, no. No assigned mandatory work over a summer vacation. Summer vacation is usually between grades too, so how is the teacher trying to implement this?

I'd think that the school itself could over see it. Or perhaps they are witholding this students grades until the teacher reviews the work.

But, I should mention I don’t agree with 3 month long school vacations. School all year long baby!! About time this country started to become educated again

Indeed, why give students any time off? In the real world one doesn't get off just because its nice out.

I quite serious. Imagine if students went to school year round? Maybe a couple weeks off in the summer but thats it. The benifits for this are HUGE.

Imagine by the time our kids reached 16 or so they would have as much or more education than todays 18 year old graduates. And I am not suggesting sending them off to college early per say, but thats a possible extra 2 years of some sort of education.

Imagine the parent cost savings in child care alone!!! And teachers as a rule get paid for the vacation months. Maybe bump thier pay a LITTLE bit to make up for any summer side work they did, but thats it.

A year round school year is 100% win win.

And it would get rid of this stupid law suit too

Finally some one with enough guts to sue his teacher. I wish I was so brave.

Sounds like someone's just looking for a payday...

What I don't get is this...

The class is over. School's out. How is one even sure they'd even get the same teacher again? What assignment could possibly be assigned? While I think the teacher is wrong for doing so, I don't see how a lawsuit is warranted. A simple conversation with the principal and teacher would have sufficed I'd think.

Personally, I'm more in favor of year round school, with maybe a couple more few day breaks. A summer off just contributes to atrophy of the noggin'. Not to mention, the huge "latch-key" problem the summer contributes to....

Originally posted by skippytjc
And it would get rid of this stupid law suit too

I don't think there is any Law Issue about it. It's simply how things work. Why would this kid do homework for this teacher when it doesn't matter if he does it or not. The teacher can't Fail him because he's already Passed.

It would be like having to do work for a Ex-Boss at a job where you are no longer an employee. You don't need a law to get out of doing the work cause you can simply tell him to piss off because you don't work for him anymore.

Originally posted by Gazrok

Personally, I'm more in favor of year round school, with maybe a couple more few day breaks. A summer off just contributes to atrophy of the noggin'. Not to mention, the huge "latch-key" problem the summer contributes to....

The only way Id go to school all year is if I got more breaks and air conditioning in the school. Because it gets HOT in the school.

Originally posted by mOjOm

Originally posted by skippytjc
And it would get rid of this stupid law suit too

I don't think there is any Law Issue about it. It's simply how things work. Why would this kid do homework for this teacher when it doesn't matter if he does it or not. The teacher can't Fail him because he's already Passed.

It would be like having to do work for a Ex-Boss at a job where you are no longer an employee. You don't need a law to get out of doing the work cause you can simply tell him to piss off because you don't work for him anymore.

Its a bogus suit. The proper way to handle this is through the school committee. Like a previous poster wrote: This is about a payday. Its a frivolous law suit. Its a shame a court will actually be bogged down this case instead of something real.

[edit on 20-1-2005 by skippytjc]

Originally posted by skippytjc
Its a bogus suit. The proper way to handle this is through the school committee. Like a previous poster wrote: This is about a payday. Its a frivolous law suit. Its a shame a court will actually be bogged down this case instead of something real.

[edit on 20-1-2005 by skippytjc]

I totally agree with you on that. In fact I would love it if when they actually went to court the judge fined all of them for clogging up the system with pointless nonsense.

I know if I was having to spend time in jail or something and this case came up before mine making me sit in there even longer just cause some crybaby and his dad want to make a name for themselves, I'd spend my final days in the pokey plotting how to cripple the both of them once I did get out.

It's all very simple really, either you choose to do the work or not. If it will effect your grade then you should probably do the work. If it's not going to hurt you in passing then who gives a crap if the teacher tells you to do it. Just laugh in his face and walk away.

GENIUS!!
IM GONNA TRY THIS ONE!!

GOD PRAISE DEMOCRASY!

Originally posted by Ishes
GENIUS!!
IM GONNA TRY THIS ONE!!

GOD PRAISE DEMOCRASY!

gonna try what ? suing your school ? I don't understand....

Originally posted by Ishes
GENIUS!!
IM GONNA TRY THIS ONE!!

GOD PRAISE DEMOCRASY!

Maybe you should sue them about your spelling

because of how i lokk at homework, which is as practice that you need to scucced in life (sadly i didn't do my spelling, as you can probaly see), i would be forced to firmly spank him, and send him to bed with out supper, and then the next day, promptly send him off to military school, so that he will apreseate how easy he had it.