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CA Student Sues Teacher, District Over C+ in Chemistry

By Andrew Lu on August 01, 2012 | Last updated on March 21, 2019

A high school student in California is suing his teacher claiming that she unfairly gave him a C+ instead of the A+ he said he justly deserved.

Bowen Bethards says that he carried a 106 percent in Ms. Peggy Carlock's chemistry class, but was forced to miss a lab due to an adoption hearing for his little sister. Not given a chance to redo the lab, Bethards saw his mark go from a A+ to a C+.

As a result of the average grade, the 17-year-old Bethards now says he suffers from severe physical and emotional distress, damage to his academic reputation, and diminished chances of getting into his college of choice, reports ABC.

While the young man may need a lesson on toughening up and learning that life is not always fair, Bethards may have the right to be upset. According to his lawsuit, the student claims that he informed his teacher of the planned absence ahead of time and that the two agreed upon a make-up date for the lab.

However, when Bethards showed up for the make-up, he says that Carlock told him that he couldn't redo the lab and that she was going to fail him.

Bethards and his mother filed a $10,000 claim against the school district, district superintendent, school principal, and Carlock. Along with the money, they also want his grade changed to an A+.

The school district sought to dismiss the complaint, though they agreed to change Bowen Bethards' chemistry grade to a B. Bethards is now a senior and hoping to study medicine (surprisingly, not law). The two sides have a case management conference scheduled for the beginning of the school year which they hope the student suing teacher case will be resolved.

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