(I am a new student at my school. We are doing a project that involves working in pairs, but pretty much everyone has a best friend and pairs up right away. I am stuck with a kid that’s not unintelligent, but a total slacker. I end up doing the entire project by myself. It involves a presentation, and I do all the talking because my partner refused to do any work and so has no clue what to say.)

Teacher: “That was very good, [My Name], but I’m afraid I’ll have to drop your grade to a ‘B.'”

Me: “What? Why?”

Teacher: “Well, you see, you didn’t allow [Partner] to help with your presentation.”

Me: “I would have ‘allowed’ him to if he had been willing to, but he refused to help.”

Teacher: “I think you’re just an attention hog.”

Me: “If you don’t believe me, ask him a question about the stuff I researched.”

(The teacher asks him a question, and he just shrugs. She turns back to me.)

Teacher: “Well, I’m still giving you both a ‘B.’ As his partner, it was your job to make him do his part.”

Me: “Wait a second. First of all, you’re giving us both the same grade? When I did all the work? And second, since when is it my job to make him work? There’s only so much I can do, anyway. It’s not like I can ground him or anything if he doesn’t want to help.”

Teacher: “Well, it was your responsibility. Next time, be a little more creative with getting your partner to help!”

(I ended up getting an ‘A’ in the class. Fortunately, after everyone saw how hard and how well I was willing to work on projects, I had no trouble finding a good partner.)