# mhendo, stop assigning grades to other posters!
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mhendo-stop-assigning-grades-to-other-posters/298178
**Category:** The BBQ Pit
**Created:** [April 7, 2005, 6:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mhendo-stop-assigning-grades-to-other-posters/298178 "2005-04-07T06:08:34Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 3
### Author:  [@Mtgman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mtgman)
#### Post date: [April 7, 2005, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mhendo-stop-assigning-grades-to-other-posters/298178/41 "2005-04-07T18:04:49Z")
> [@mhendo](#):
>
> A couple of years ago i was the only TA for a course in American Intellectual History. I did all the grading for the class, and the highest grades consistently went to a student whose politics i disagreed with strongly, but who supported her positions with clear and cogent arguments that demonstrated a close reading of the sources. The A she earned in that class helped her spend the summer as an intern in the Bush White House.
You should catch up with her. Maybe have some nice phone conversations. Browse through her closet for blue dresses…
Enjoy,
Steven
---
### Author:  [@MysteryFellow63427](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MysteryFellow63427)
#### Post date: [April 7, 2005, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mhendo-stop-assigning-grades-to-other-posters/298178/42 "2005-04-07T18:07:19Z")
A+ for **mhendo** on his assignment.
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### Author:  [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)
#### Post date: [April 7, 2005, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mhendo-stop-assigning-grades-to-other-posters/298178/43 "2005-04-07T18:11:06Z")
Fuckin’ A.
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### Author:  [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)
#### Post date: [April 7, 2005, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mhendo-stop-assigning-grades-to-other-posters/298178/44 "2005-04-07T18:26:45Z")
As a composer, I give this thread a D minor.
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### Author:  [@eleanorigby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eleanorigby)
#### Post date: [April 7, 2005, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mhendo-stop-assigning-grades-to-other-posters/298178/45 "2005-04-07T18:30:01Z")
Yes, very nice.
but could you stop grading people on their posts, please?
You say you come here to hang out etc–then do so!
FWIW-I thought you defended your position very well, but noone likes to be graded on a message board! Save it for your students. Some of these posters are either still in school or just out–it must be surreal to come on the bb to kvetch about X and you’ve been ranked!
Just sayin’…
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### Author:  [@paperbackwriter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/paperbackwriter)
#### Post date: [April 7, 2005, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mhendo-stop-assigning-grades-to-other-posters/298178/46 "2005-04-07T18:30:30Z")
> [@lieu](#):
>
> As a geologist I can find fault with all of you. Now while for most of you this might be _normal_, for **Cerri** it’s more likely _strike-slip_.[/SIZE]
**lieu** is a certified Geek Comedy Genius, Science Geek division.
---
### Author:  [@Epimetheus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Epimetheus)
#### Post date: [April 7, 2005, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mhendo-stop-assigning-grades-to-other-posters/298178/47 "2005-04-07T18:32:08Z")
As a student, I will have to take notes and study this matter further.
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### Author:  [@Loopydude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loopydude)
#### Post date: [April 7, 2005, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mhendo-stop-assigning-grades-to-other-posters/298178/48 "2005-04-07T18:35:42Z")
As a biologist I say it’s gooey and it stinks.
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### Author:  [@Mockingbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mockingbird)
#### Post date: [April 7, 2005, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mhendo-stop-assigning-grades-to-other-posters/298178/49 "2005-04-07T18:44:44Z")
> [@threemae](#):
>
> Professor **mhendo** , I’m writing to kindly request that you _stop giving these smarmy assed grades out to other posters._ I realize that you may have a position in real life where you have power and control over others and you seem to get off on it, but here in the SDMB, all posters can come in as equals and be evaluated on the merits of their arguments. Hence, when you feel compelled to assign grades to other posters, it just chaps the hell out of me.
>
> From the thread about **even\_sven’s** second hand retelling of a friend’s injured hand:
> In almost every other debate you enter you consistently come back to the claim that the other side is wrong simply because they’re too stupid to understand what you’re saying. Given that you’re some sort of English prof, I just don’t understand why it’s so hard to make yourself clear or why you even have to give out D-'s for reading comprehension. If you think others are being disingenuous, say it, and drop the smarmy tone about how your writing is simply on a level far above what mere mortals can understand. Just because you feel that framing a debate in a particular way will help your side doesn’t mean that it’s the most appropriate way to frame a debate.
>
> From the thread about **vivalostwages** being “bullied” by a student:
> [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=308137&page=1&pp=50](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=308137&page=1&pp=50)
>
> Frankly, I don’t care that you’re a teacher; my impression of you isn’t that you’re not a very good one, and it would be nice if you’d stop trying to make jabs in threads by telling other posters that they’d earn poor grades in your classes. All you’re really demonstrating is that your grading is influenced by whether or not someone agrees with your viewpoint.
>
> What next, will financial analysts be able to say, “I’d give your life a junk-bond rating.”
> Will film critics come in and say, “do you just _have_ to live with such obvious plot-turns? Mega-plex pabulum at its worst.”
> Sex advice columnists, “you’re posting leaves me less-fufilled than a 2 minute quickie with Karl Rove.”
>
> ```
> Thanks,
> **threemae**
>
> ```
Whining - A
Impassioned Plea - C+
Criticism - D
Inherent Cogent Point - F
Self Appointed Protector of the People - B+
---
### Author:  [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)
#### Post date: [April 7, 2005, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mhendo-stop-assigning-grades-to-other-posters/298178/50 "2005-04-07T18:47:34Z")
> [@eleanorigby](#):
>
> Yes, very nice.
>
> but could you stop grading people on their posts, please?
>
> You say you come here to hang out etc–then do so!
>
> FWIW-I thought you defended your position very well, but noone likes to be graded on a message board! Save it for your students. Some of these posters are either still in school or just out–it must be surreal to come on the bb to kvetch about X and you’ve been ranked!
> Just sayin’…
I have, before this thread (which was tongue-in-cheek), assigned a letter grade on exactly **one** occasion that i can recall, and that was in the first case cited by the OP.
Not once in the other thread did i assign a grade, as the OP’s own quotes of my posts demonstrate quite clearly. I made specific comments about people’s unwillingness or inability to address the argument, and i abused them when they persisted in ignoring the issue. If i can’t do that, particularly in the Pit, then what the fuck can i do? Criticism is part of why we’re here. I mean, you’ve criticised me in the very post that i quoted. Just becasue you haven’t actually assigned me a letter grade doesn’t change the fact that you’re assessing my contribution.
I must say, given some of the stuff that gets said on this message board, i’m truly at a loss to understand how **one single instance** of grading someone else’s post, and a few insults, is so egregious. The other stuff i did in the second thread is no different to what hundreds of other dopers do every day, and indeed was no different to what some folks in that very thread, and in this one, have been doing.
It’s been said on multiple occasions before, but i’ll say it again: If you’ve got a such a thin skin that this sort of shit bothers you, the Pit probably isn’t the place to hang out.
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### Author:  [@RedFury](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RedFury)
#### Post date: [April 7, 2005, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mhendo-stop-assigning-grades-to-other-posters/298178/51 "2005-04-07T18:54:43Z")
As an egomaniac, I give myself an A+.
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### Author:  [@Weirddave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weirddave)
#### Post date: [April 7, 2005, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mhendo-stop-assigning-grades-to-other-posters/298178/52 "2005-04-07T18:55:37Z")
As the poster who **mhendo** was giving poor grades to in the first instance quoted by the OP, I found it highly amusing considering that in that thread he was grading me down on reading comprehension while addressing a situation different from the one I was talking about.
Irony Quotient: A
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### Author:  [@GaWd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GaWd)
#### Post date: [April 7, 2005, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mhendo-stop-assigning-grades-to-other-posters/298178/53 "2005-04-07T19:50:40Z")
**mhendo** is easily one of my favorite posters, and for many of the reasons proven by his first post to this topic. We come here to argue, to use sarcasm, wit, insults, and just generally to vent on each other. I realize you feel that **mhendo** uses his intelligence arrogantly, but so what? Many people round here do, and they haven’t even earned their first pitting yet(I include myself in that group as well).
Kwitcherbitchin, OP.
Sam
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### Author:  [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)
#### Post date: [April 7, 2005, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mhendo-stop-assigning-grades-to-other-posters/298178/54 "2005-04-07T20:04:25Z")
> [@Weirddave](#):
>
> As the poster who **mhendo** was giving poor grades to in the first instance quoted by the OP, I found it highly amusing considering that in that thread he was grading me down on reading comprehension while addressing a situation different from the one I was talking about.
>
> Irony Quotient: A
Well, as i’m not interested in rehashing the whole thing, it will have to suffice for this thread to say that i believe you to be incorrect.
If people are at all interested, they can make up their own minds by going [here](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=310415&page=3) and checking out posts #105, #111, and #113 to see whether my grading of **Dave** ’s post was appropriate.
---
### Author:  [@Debaser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Debaser)
#### Post date: [April 7, 2005, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mhendo-stop-assigning-grades-to-other-posters/298178/55 "2005-04-07T20:10:07Z")
> [@mhendo](#):
>
> The funny thing is, your own contribution to the thread in question sounded much more like Poster B than Poster A. You marched in, ignoring four or five pages of previous debate, and made an unfounded assertion that had already been refuted pages ago, without actually offering any reasoned argument of your own.
I wasn’t trying to offer a reasoned argument… The thread was already a five page train wreck, and seemed to be coming to an end. I specifically stated at the beginning of my post that I was just tossing in my $.02 on the matter. Clearly my goal was not to make a new argument or re-argue what had already been debated. Many people had already made good points on both sides of the argument. I was simply offering my opinion on which side made a better case IMO. Also, I mentioned a something from personal experience. Both of these two things are pefectly acceptable contributions to a thread.
It’s funny that even where I quoted you above you still continue the “Poster B” attidude. You state very matter of factly that the assertion is “unfounded” and “had already been refuted pages ago”. This is exactly what I’m talking about. People disagree with you about something and you can only see it as them not paying attention or just being stupid.
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### Author:  [@Weirddave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weirddave)
#### Post date: [April 7, 2005, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mhendo-stop-assigning-grades-to-other-posters/298178/56 "2005-04-07T20:11:21Z")
> [@mhendo](#):
>
> Well, as i’m not interested in rehashing the whole thing, it will have to suffice for this thread to say that i believe you to be incorrect.
>
> If people are at all interested, they can make up their own minds by going [here](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=310415&page=3) and checking out posts #105, #111, and #113 to see whether my grading of **Dave** ’s post was appropriate.
An excellent idea. It would behoove them to get the background by reading my posts #54, #63 and #101, where I clarified I was talking about “Ambulatory patients”, “Walk in/walk out cases” and people with “non-life threatening conditions” respectively.
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### Author:  [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)
#### Post date: [April 7, 2005, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mhendo-stop-assigning-grades-to-other-posters/298178/57 "2005-04-07T20:19:23Z")
> [@Weirddave](#):
>
> An excellent idea. It would behoove them to get the background by reading my posts #54, #63 and #101, where I clarified I was talking about “Ambulatory patients”, “Walk in/walk out cases” and people with “non-life threatening conditions” respectively.
Fair enough, although your post #101 is included in #105—something i took account of when listed the numbers.
I still maintain that it doesn’t change what i said, which was that you twisted the meanning in _my_ post.
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### Author:  [@Excalibre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Excalibre)
#### Post date: [April 7, 2005, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mhendo-stop-assigning-grades-to-other-posters/298178/58 "2005-04-07T20:26:17Z")
> [@Debaser](#):
>
> I wasn’t trying to offer a reasoned argument… The thread was already a five page train wreck, and seemed to be coming to an end. I specifically stated at the beginning of my post that I was just tossing in my $.02 on the matter. Clearly my goal was not to make a new argument or re-argue what had already been debated. Many people had already made good points on both sides of the argument. I was simply offering my opinion on which side made a better case IMO. Also, I mentioned a something from personal experience. Both of these two things are pefectly acceptable contributions to a thread.
If there’s an active debate in progress, claiming that it’s “acceptable” to just pop in, opine freely, and leave may be true in the sense that it won’t get you banned. It’s not exactly adding anything to the content of the boards. Here’s a surprise: no one cares about your opinion, especially not here, when there’s other folks willing to take an issue and actually offer a cogent argument. (How’s that old saying about opinions go? “Opinions are like assholes - everybody’s got one and good girls don’t have sex there.” Something like that.)
> [@Debaser](#):
>
> It’s funny that even where I quoted you above you still continue the “Poster B” attidude. You state very matter of factly that the assertion is “unfounded” and “had already been refuted pages ago”. This is exactly what I’m talking about. People disagree with you about something and you can only see it as them not paying attention or just being stupid.
Well, that’s really what it looks like when there are folks engaging in an active debate, a point’s been addressed - particularly if the parties have come to some sort of conclusion on the subject - and someone else comes along to repeat it without any new argument to back it up. Perhaps it surprises you to learn that the great majority of posters here don’t hang upon your every word, thus making your opinion not particularly valuable if you’re not willing to back it up with some insight. Perhaps you really read the thread first and still decided to make a statement without joining in the debate in progress - that’s rude at best, but it’s within your rights. However, it’s silly to think that others won’t look down on you for it.
As for the OP, I’m a college student, and I say we all smoke a bowl together and see if we feel better.
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### Author:  [@gum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gum)
#### Post date: [April 7, 2005, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mhendo-stop-assigning-grades-to-other-posters/298178/59 "2005-04-07T20:27:08Z")
As a Dutchie I pass this on the left hand side.
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### Author:  [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)
#### Post date: [April 7, 2005, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mhendo-stop-assigning-grades-to-other-posters/298178/60 "2005-04-07T20:30:45Z")
> [@Debaser](#):
>
> I wasn’t trying to offer a reasoned argument… The thread was already a five page train wreck, and seemed to be coming to an end. I specifically stated at the beginning of my post that I was just tossing in my $.02 on the matter. Clearly my goal was not to make a new argument or re-argue what had already been debated. Many people had already made good points on both sides of the argument. I was simply offering my opinion on which side made a better case IMO. Also, I mentioned a something from personal experience. Both of these two things are pefectly acceptable contributions to a thread.
Well, making a reasoned or a new argument probably would have been beyond you, if your general performance on this board is any indication. I guess i’ll just have to forgive you for that.
> [@Debaser](#):
>
> It’s funny that even where I quoted you above you still continue the “Poster B” attidude. You state very matter of factly that the assertion is “unfounded” and “had already been refuted pages ago”. This is exactly what I’m talking about. People disagree with you about something and you can only see it as them not paying attention or just being stupid.
Well, you made the assertion that “A students grade should be based on his performance in tests, not his ability to brownnose the teacher in class discussion, and show up every day.”
This assertion relies on an assumption that the reason for taking attendance is to ensure that the student demonstrates an ability to brownnose the teacher. I, and plenty of other college teachers in the thread, made very clear that we had other procedural and pedagogical reasons for requiring attendance.
If you want to march into the thread and contradict our position without actually taking into account the substance of our arguments, you have every right to do so, but don’t be surprised when you get called out for being a doody-head who has nothing useful to contribute.
If you had made an argument about the validity of our _reasons_ for requiring attendance, i’d have been quite happy to engage you on that point. But your implication that we require attendance simply because we want students to brownnose is not just an opinion—it is factually incorrect, in my case and in the case of every other teacher with whom i have ever discussed the issue.
And, on preview, what **Excalibre** said.
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