Location: Washington, USA.
Hi, I am a high school junior currently struggling with a situation at my school and I am very lost and confused about what to do. This situation is deeply affecting my mental health and is starting to impact everything, including my ability to focus and my future college decisions, especially since the classes involved are core classes.
I have been dealing with ongoing issues with my Counselor, administration, and several teachers, and their behavior has been increasingly dismissive and rude. I also have not received a response from the Associate Principal in over 4 weeks, and the Executive Director has not replied for over a week regarding concerns about teacher behavior.
Additionally, the History Teacher has done the following: he gave me a 0 on the poster despite that I was there for it and helped my group write, he took off points to my presentation because he claims I said something inaccurate about the Berlin Airlift that I did not say, he said I did not have enough visuals despite that every single slide had a photo on it with a caption with a clear connection to the content. He also gave me a 50% for something that was turned in “late” because I had a HOSA Leadership Conference he knew about weeks ago and knew the Friday before when I reminded again. He also then proceeded to blame me for missing school and “failing” last semester (despite that it is by his own reason that he is not accepting my work) and also did not care about the reason I was absent (which is because I had a viral infection). I am done communicating with someone who acts in such a belligerent manner especially a so called “educator”.
I have listed a summary below and questions.
Summary & Timeline
Summary of Situation:
Student missed a significant amount of school due to a documented chronic migraine condition that required ongoing medical care. His condition is now being managed with medication. During this same period, his family experienced additional serious stressors. His grandfather suffered a subdural hematoma, and the family faced immigration-related uncertainty that could have affected their green card process. These events caused significant stress but were entirely outside of the Student’s control.
Despite these challenges, the Student completed work for nearly all of his classes. He made consistent efforts to communicate with his teachers about his situation. When he returned to school, he met with his Counselor. He explained his circumstances and was told that he would be able to earn credit in his classes and possibly receive passing grades. He was advised to contact his teachers directly, which he did. Some teachers responded and worked with him, but others did not respond at all. During this time, the Counselor made inappropriate remarks, including stating that “Indian culture is toxic.” This comment was unrelated to the situation and inappropriate. She also failed to provide clear guidance about grading, incompletes, or deadlines.
A meeting was later held with the Student, Counselor, Associate Principal, other administrators, and Mother. They discussed next steps, the Section 504 process, and his academic plan. During this meeting, the Student was told that his schedule would remain the same and that he would still be able to graduate on time. This assurance was later contradicted without explanation. In addition, even though the Student stated that he could manage his coursework, his Counselor repeatedly pressured him to change or reduce his schedule.
After the meeting, the Student continued to ask questions about grading, incompletes, and deadlines. These questions were not properly answered. Some were dismissed with the explanation that they should have been asked earlier, even though they had not been addressed before. Later, new information was provided stating that the Student would receive N grades instead of incompletes and that a 504 plan could include passing grades. This information had not been clearly communicated before.
There were multiple miscommunications between teachers, the Counselor, and the Student. Neither the Student nor his Mother received clear instructions about how to complete courses or resolve incomplete work, despite repeated attempts to get clarification. As a result, expectations and available options remained unclear.
Although the Student’s absences were due to a documented medical condition, several teachers denied him credit because he missed labs or class participation. The Student repeatedly asked for opportunities to make up missed work, including tests, assignments, and labs. Only a few teachers agreed to provide flexibility and allow him to earn credit.
In the Physics Teacher’s class, the Student tried to submit completed work after returning to school. He was told not to submit it and was directed back to his Counselor. The Physics Teacher later stated that the Student’s work was “non-existent,” even though the Student had completed it. He also stated that he would not grade the work and that the Student could not earn credit because of missed labs and class participation, even though the class is graded based on completion. The Student suggested using virtual lab alternatives, but this was not addressed. Follow-up emails were not answered.
In the Chemistry Teacher’s class, the Student spoke with him after school and was informed that he would not be able to earn credit due to missed labs after the Chemistry Teacher consulted with the Physics Teacher. The Student later emailed requesting clarification and proposing virtual lab makeups but has not received a response.
In the History Teacher’s class, the Student was told that he missed too much work to pass and was advised to speak with his Counselor. The Student followed up requesting reconsideration and asking to make up missed tests and a project. He has not received a response.
College Board policy explicitly permits virtual labs, simulations, or equivalent data analysis when students are unable to access in-person laboratory environments due to qualifying circumstances. This guidance applies to AP Physics 1 and AP Chemistry. The Student proposed a completion plan aligned with this policy, seeking to meet the same learning objectives rather than reduce academic standards.
District grading policy allows for non-numerical grades, including Passing (P) and Incomplete (I), and requires the development of a course completion plan in consultation with the student and parent when an incomplete is awarded. The Student requested such a plan. Teachers who denied credit either declined to engage in this process or did not respond, and no clear explanation was provided regarding approved circumstances or procedures.
The Student and his Mother met with the Associate Principal and Counselor to resolve these issues. During this meeting, their questions were not clearly answered, and the responses were not helpful. They then contacted the Principal, who refused to meet after reviewing the situation and said that a meeting is not required. The Principal also declined another meeting recently and stated the matter is closed. They later contacted the district, but the response did not address the core issues.
As a result, the Student is being denied credit despite documented medical absences, completed coursework, and repeated good-faith efforts to resolve the situation. The lack of consistent communication, clear process, and engagement with policy has left this situation unresolved and has placed the Student’s ability to graduate on time at serious risk. This has caused significant frustration and distress.
Timeline:
September: Student began the school year and attended classes normally.
October: Student began experiencing worsening symptoms related to a chronic migraine condition.
November: Condition significantly worsened, leading to increased absences. School and Counselor were aware.
December: Continued medically excused absences with no clear academic plan or support.
January: Returned to school, met with Counselor, told credit would be possible, instructed to contact teachers. Responses inconsistent.
February: Meeting with Counselor, Associate Principal, administrators, and Mother. Told graduation would still be on track. Questions afterward not answered. Teachers began denying make-up opportunities.
March: Communication became inconsistent or non-responsive. Issue escalated. Credit denied without clear explanation. Told to drop classes instead of resolving issues.
April: Further meetings occurred. Issue remains unresolved.
Reasoning based on policy and context:
The reason for denying incompletes was unjustifiable. The Student had a documented extended health condition, completed coursework, and there were no requirements that could not reasonably be completed outside of school given available alternatives. A plan could have been developed to complete remaining assessments within a reasonable timeframe. The justification that labs were a barrier does not align with the availability of virtual or equivalent alternatives that maintain academic rigor.
In situations involving extended illness or chronic health conditions, schools are expected to provide accommodations such as adjusted participation expectations or structured completion plans. The Student and Mother repeatedly requested such a plan, but no plan was created and questions about incompletes were not answered.
Even if there were valid reasons to deny credit, the process lacked clear communication, consistency, and transparency. The Student and Mother were not provided accurate or timely information about expectations, grading, or available options. Educators are expected to communicate clearly, provide guidance, and support student needs in circumstances like this, but that did not occur here.
It seems like this is happening due to teacher laziness and a lack of willingness to accommodate or engage with the situation despite clear policies and reasonable alternatives. It also feels like I am being targeted unfairly, as multiple teachers now give me dirty looks and speak to me in a rude tone despite the fact that I have always been a respectful student and was a straight A student before my health issues began. This change in treatment has made it even harder to communicate and resolve the situation.
I was told by a lawyer that I likely do not have a case because I do not have an IEP and they did not violate my 504.
My questions are:
Do I have any legal recourse in this situation?
Does failure to follow district policy (incompletes and required completion plans) create any enforceable issue?
Can a school deny credit like this despite documented medical absences and completed coursework?
Are there any formal complaint processes (district, state, OCR, etc.) that would apply here?
What should my next steps be if legal action is not an option?