<p>Hugcheck–I just don’t agree, in any form, that it’s the norm for a student to be graded down for original thinking, unless the assignment was specifically asking for something else–for instance–a review and critique of a group of lit theories, not a presentation of one’s own new one. I have attended several schools, taught at several more, sent my kids to several more–and nowhere did I see anyone being graded down because they had a new thought. I’ve seen grades lowered because the said new thought was outside the assignment, or not well-developed/coherent/germaine, or not actually new, but borrowed uncited. But as described here, no, none of us in my family have encountered that. Could be that the ten or so schools i’ve had personal interaction with are outliers, but I find that theory unpersuasive.</p>
<p>Given the facts as stated (she had a new idea, the prof downgraded solely on the basis that she “couldn’t” really have had it), the prof is a nut (or at least an idiot.)</p>