A college student in Nanjing, Jiangsu Province has threatened his teacher in an attempt to receive a higher score on the final exam, as reported by the China Youth Daily on August 1.
Yang Hua (a pseudonym), a teacher of Metrology (scientific and technical measurements) at a local key university, received four menacing text messages on July 16, which stated, “I order you to raise the marks of students who scored between 60 and 75 to a level of 90, or I shall get revenge on you and your son,” Later she answered a phone call in which the caller asked why he had been given such a low score.
Yang found out that the caller was a sophomore named Li Ming (a pseudonym), who had received a mark of less than 70 on the final examination, through tracing the number that called her on her mobile phone.
According to Yang, a student’s final score is made up of two sections: attendance accounts for 30 percent while the mark on the final exam constitutes 70 percent. Li’s final mark for the semester was reduced due to his frequent absence from class.
Yang admitted that she receives phone calls about grades every semester, and that these are usually from students who need to be recommended for postgraduate study programs or who are concerned about qualifying for diplomas.
She also said that she received a threat several years ago, but that since the student apologized to her, she did not pursue the matter. Yang turned to the police this time for help as the threat involved her son.
Yang later received six apologetic messages from Li, in which he stated his remorse for his “rudeness, impulsiveness and impoliteness,” and in which he promised not to harm Yang or any of her family members. Li has stated that he will apologize to Yang in person when the new term begins.
“We need more righteous teachers like Yang,” said a student who admires Yang’s actions. In contrast, another teacher advised against bringing the school into a negative public spotlight, stating, “You have to think about your future.”
Li explained his frustration to the China Youth Daily. “I was very hard-working this term; it was unfair to give me lower grades due to my absence,” he stated. “I hope that a higher GPA could help me to study abroad in the future.”