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I say this every semester because some of y'all are dead inside but DO NOT ask students for proof that their loved one has died in order for them to receive an extension.
For example, when my maternal grandmother died, she donated her body to science. It was months before her funeral (so no funeral program).
Obits can easily cost hundreds of dollars so a lot of families don't get them.
Obits can easily cost hundreds of dollars so a lot of families don't get them.
People have multiple grandparents and depending on your family dynamics college is about the time when people start dying.
You can have multiple grandparents pass away during school (I did).
You can have multiple grandparents pass away during school (I did).
Also, don't ask people for a doctor's note to prove they were sick.
Students may not have a diagnosis, may not be able to afford to use their insurance, have incomplete insurance, have a chronic condition that just makes more sense to stay home with, etc.
Students may not have a diagnosis, may not be able to afford to use their insurance, have incomplete insurance, have a chronic condition that just makes more sense to stay home with, etc.
TLDR Just trust your students. It is absolutely better to trust them outright and have a student "fool" you than to be unnecessarily cruel to a student in distress.
And a student may tell you someone died rather than some other horrible hard to talk about thing that happened.
And a student may tell you someone died rather than some other horrible hard to talk about thing that happened.
Students don't owe your their traumas in order to be treated with kindness and respect.
If you can't be bothered to figure this out, do us all a favor and retire.
If you can't be bothered to figure this out, do us all a favor and retire.
