Popularity Passing Contest

I'll admit it- I am a stickler. I have high expectations of my students, the best description of my social studies classes is probably "rigorous". I take my job seriously to prepare students. I want them to know information, how to use it, and how to do things like take responsibility for themselves, how to meet a deadline, and how to generally be a good citizen.

My teaching philosophy, because it is so strong, makes me either loved or strongly disliked. Most students like a teacher who has high expectations, who wants them to learn, and is dedicated to what they teach. There are also, however, the students that dislike my agenda and the fact that I am a little too much like their parents. What? Me? Don't disrupt my nice little cozy place of laziness and rudeness. I like it in here.

As a teacher, I prefer to be liked. It is much more fun that way.

So one of my students got a 14% in American History third quarter. I loved this kid. He loved to discuss things in class, he wanted to know more, he asked questions all the time. However, you almost have to WORK at getting that low of a score in my class. Maybe that was the problem- he sort of wasn't in my class most of the time. He was a senior from Minneapolis North and he had other things going on. So fourth quarter he started coming to class almost everyday because the threat of truancy proceedings. Still no real work production, but presence is good. He moved his grade up to a 50%- improvements were happening, but we didn't want to rush anything...

Recently a counselor approached me, here is the resulting conversation (boiled down a bit):
Me: "He is failing American History"
Him: "He needs to pass your class to graduate."
Me: "His combined average is about a 35%"
Him: "Many of his other teachers are passing him"
Me: "He must have done the work in those classes."
Him: "If you don't pass this kid he is going to end up on the streets of Minneapolis"
Me: "I can work with a 50%, but this kid didn't even turn in his project worth 70 points this week. I care about this kid, but what can I do, I can't lower the standard that much?"
Him: "Well, it is up to you, but keep in mind, I am begging you"

He did this about four more times with me, enough to make me bluff this student's project grade, enough for me to help him on a test, but not enough for him to make it past 42% in my class.

Decision time. Students comes late the final exam. Two days till graduation. He seems in no rush.

I decline to pass the student. The student still walks for graduation but has to take summer school to make up mine and another teacher's class. The student tells me he understands, that he just didn't do the work. I am guilt-ridden. I like this kid, I don't want him on the streets...

At Graduation, I see one of the other teachers that had this student in class. I ask her if she passed him, she said, "I felt like I had to, the Counselor said he was passing every other class." Right then the counselor walked up to her, gave her a hug (with his back to me) and then proceeded to walk right by me with out saying a word. Oh my. Are you serious?

Am I really being snubbed for upholding academic honesty? How could I, after convicting four of my students for cheating, cheat on a grade that much? In the end, I couldn't do it, but the sad thing is that I thought about it for awhile. I didn't want my high expectations to get in the way of being liked at work. After leaving school today for summer vacation, I realized that I left at least still liking myself. Maybe that is a little more important.