Help with a dispute(school related)

[Deleted]

We had a project in our Social Psychology class where we had to gather up school supply donations across town whatever way we could (keeping it legit and ethical of course). We split up in groups, and our grade depends on two aspects: who can collect the most supplies, and how much of the work you do in your group (so your group as a whole could place first but if you did nothing your group can rat you out for it and cost you points).

This project has been going the last month and a half. During that time I have had boxes set up at several businesses in my hometown and made a run through town every weekend when I am at home to pick them up, and then made the trip back with a car packed with them for weeks and weeks now.

Well, today was the day we gathered it all up. Turns out he is weighing the supplies, and the largest WEIGHT wins.

So there is someone from another group who has brought in NOTHING the ENTIRE project...today she walks in with a carrier and several boxes and makes 3 or 4 trips to get more. It turns out these boxes are full of notebooks from the "Student Life" department that she had picked up literally 30 minutes before class.

So we begin to think that maybe these don't weigh so much...

...one box weighed 65 lbs. Only one group had a total amount over 65 lbs. and that was our group.

So this group, helped solely by this lazy person who waited until an hour before class to do ANYTHING on a project we have had for a month in a half, wins and gets full credit.

...I am in a REEEEEEAAAAAAAL bad mood over this and have half a mind to call this out, in-class on Wendsday when we meet next, because I did not bust my ass to be outdone by someone who couldn't give a damn. So should I? Would it be better if I just met with the teacher one on one, or just left it alone? It's not like I am getting a zero (as I said part of your points come from how much the group thinks you did to help, and if they scored me high I get a low A), but I feel like me and my group got robbed from a good chunk of points on what is (to my knowledge) a high point assignment. I seriously feel like I just got Edge'd

[Red Lion]

I'd tell a teacher if I were you, free riders are lame.

[Ultimo Chocula]

Call her out, most definitley. Just keep in mind that in the real world stuff like this is par for course.

[Brother Coyote]

If you have to complain talk to the teacher. This all occurring in a social psychology class is kind of funny though. I'd leave it alone, unless you're leaving out anything all you know is it didn't seem like the other group was working, this could have been the plan all along. Maybe they just decided instead of relying on charity they would buy a bunch of stuff themselves.

I'm sure you and your group worked a bunch but it doesn't seem like the other group did anything underhanded. By any means as long as its ethical included buying the stuff yourself.

Also they did it by weight? What is this communist Russia? What stopped people from just going out and buying the heaviest school supplies they could find?

[Brandon Walsh is Insane.]

They probably held onto everything until the day of --- that way, not to give away their strategy.

I'd do the same thing; even if I didn't buy it all, I would collect and collect and not bring anything in unless there was a reason to -- why give the other groups an idea on what to gather up? Especially if it's in the merit of competition.

If the point was to bring in charitable items and NOT compete, then I would have brought things in the first day. Why don't you just talk to the team that brought them in? Why complain to the teacher -- just be upfront with the team.

[H-Fist]

This is a social psychology class. Have you considered that this "unfair" aspect of the grading process (weight-based determination of quantity) and the resulting potential for disputes based on effort, volume, quantity, and other factors is actually a purpose behind a project such as this? I mean, collecting supplies on its own has nothing at all to do with social psychology unless the students were expected to apply psychological and sociological knowledge to manipulate the donation/collection process. The field of social psychology looks at how one's feelings/thoughts/etc. are affected by other people. Seems like this upcoming week is the important part of the project.

[Head Detective Aaron Enigma]

I gotta be honest. While I do feel bad for you, I would've done the same thing the lazy person did.

That being said, I have been ratted out for being lazy by someone who worked hard. The teacher told them "tough shit". I Hope things turn out better for you. It was clear that my teacher didn't care at all.

The big thing to realize here is, some people will take the easy way out. People who work hard will get rewarded. My friend and I in school are a good example. I put in significantly less effort than he did on the same projects, yet we came out with the same grades. He would consistently get mad at me for it until I explained that he put too much effort into it. It isn't quite the same, but you have to realize that sometimes the lazy way wins.

[Deleted]

You've all made some good points.

It still bugs the hell out of me though...I was fine until I was in a later class where I was talking about a paper I was working on; the topic was procrastination. I started talking about mine and the teacher asked if there was anything I could add onto it, another personal story. So I started thinking and remembered what happened in the Social Psych. class. As I started telling the story I noticed I was starting to get really mad about it, and my writing teacher (who doubles as my academic advisor that helps me decide what classes to take) said I seriously should consider discussing it with the teacher about how unfair that was, and it's just bugged me ever since.

As long as I still get a good grade, I could probably let this slide. I have a B in this class with a term paper and the points for this turned in but not yet added. I can let it slide, but it doesn't change the fact it bugs me.

[nonrev]

Leave it alone.

Basically the decision all comes down to you; however, my advice is to get over it.

Stuff like this happens all the time and it can piss us off, but there's plenty of other important things to get pissed off at. If the other group didn't break the rules your complaining will fall on deaf ears, or as other posters have said you may just be falling into the mindset which this exercise was designed to bring out.

If you still need to generate some catharsis by talking to the teacher however by all means do so.

[Jay Peas 42]

Charity should be it's own reward. If you are concerned with the grading methodology, go ahead and speak to the teacher.

[Deleted]

As much as should call this one out, it's probably be for naught as the teacher will probably say something along the lines of "it's the thought that counts"

[ThereIsNoAbsurdistOnlyZuul]

Never under estimate the power of intelligently applied half-assery. Especially when the loopholes presented by the teacher allows such things.

You can rat that person out, but don't hate the player hate the game. And no one likes the person who just killed them in CoD:MW2 (SHAMELESS PLUG!) .