Students who just want to rebel
Just wanted to get your thoughts on students who just want to constantly push things. I had a student who everyday wore sunglasses in class (which is against our dresscode), I asked him to remove them as well as other faculty/staff making this request. He would, but then he would later put them back on. I felt like I was giving him the attention he wanted by continually asking him to remove them, but at the same time didn't like how he was challenging my authority. Any suggestions on how to handle something like this?
Andrea
Hi Andrea,
If this is a part of your dress code, I am sure there is a repercussion for doing this. This student should have been remprimanded long time ago according to your dress code policy. Also, you have two issues going on here, not only is he breaking the dress code policy, he is also breaking the conduct code policy due to not following your directive. At my institution students are sent home and marked absent for not following dress code and for breaking the conduct code they are suspended with the right to appeal. Get administration involved.
Patricia
I agree that the student should have been dealt with the first time that the problem surfaced. At my school we employ a 3 strikes and you're out policy. First a verbal warning, second a professionalism downgrade, and third the student should be sent home. I have found that if you do not continue to step 2 immediately when the issue happens again, the class as a whole will not take you seriously and more problems with other students manifest themselves because they now know that you can be a pushover.
As long as your dress code guidelines were expressed in the first class, and your syllabus, it is not unreasonable to ask him to leave your class for not following dress code and not respecting your class. When he is ready to follow the guidelines for the dress code he can be re-admitted. It seems like he is playing a game.
Hi April,
You are so on point! We have a dress code policy at my institution, and if a student does not abide by the dress code policy, the student is sent home for the day and marked absent.
Patricia
