This US Teacher Was Fired For Giving Her Students a Zero

Should there even be a "No Zero" policy?

Teacher Diane Tirado of Florida has been fired from her school after refusing to give her students more than a zero despite them failing to turn in homework in on time.

She posted her final message to the students on Facebook, claiming that she had been fired for "refusing to give [the students] a 50 per cent for not handing anything in."

 

West Gate K-8 School maintains a "No Zero" policy, which means students cannot receive a zero for submitted and completed work. The policy document also states "NO ZERO'S [sic] - LOWEST POSSIBLE GRADE IS 50%" which makes the issue even more unclear.

Tirado has since taken to Facebook to explain that "the fight has gotten real" and that she's achieved her goal of starting a conversation around the "No Zero" policy that some schools are adopting.

 

West Gate's superintendent, E. Wayne Gent, has since spoken to Fox News to defend the policy, explaining that it's actually holding the students accountable.

"The easy way is to say, 'Okay, we're going to move on and leave you behind,' and that student is going to be unsuccessful," Gent said.

"That's not the culture that we've established in the school district."

Header Image: iStock.com/jaker5000