Student alleges professor did not meet her needs as ‘mainstream’ student
A student at the University of Wisconsin – Stephens Point is suing her professor, believing that she deserves an A in the poetry course the professor taught.
Donna Kikkert wished to study “the classics” of poetry, and so enrolled in the course taught by professor Patricia Dyjak. The course, however, allegedly skewed classical poetic texts in favor of more modern and controversial works, according to the Stevens Point Journal.
Specifically, Kikkert claims, the class studied works involving “lesbians, illicit sexual relationships, incest and frequent swearing.”
Alleging that her complaints regarding the course material resulted in a grade of F, Kikkert is suing Dyjak for a higher grade.
“She has swung the pendulum far to the side of LGBT students and, in doing so, has chosen to totally discount the importance and the validity of the mainstream student population,” Kikkert argued in her claim. She goes on to claim that her grade was “capricious retaliation” for raising concerns about the course content and about Dyjak’s behavior — including an allegation that the professor exposed her breasts while showing the class a back-shoulder tattoo.
In addition to an improved grade, Kikkert asked the court, at its discretion, to suspend Dyjak without pay for a year or fire her.
A Portage County judge dismissed the case; Kikkert said she is mulling an appeal.
While Kikkert believes that universities should “challenge” their students, she also believes that “professors need to incorporate having a sensitivity to what students would consider as wanting to learn.”
MORE: Lehigh student who sued prof for better grade loses appeal
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