US: Students fail - professor loses job

Who is to blame when students fail? If many students fail - a majority even - does that demonstrate faculty incompetence, or could it point to a problem with standards? asks Scott Jaschik in Insider Higher Ed. These are the questions at the centre of a dispute that cost Steven D Aird his job teaching biology at Norfolk State University. On his way out, he has started to tell his story - one that he suggests points to large educational problems at the university and in society.

The university is not talking publicly about his case, but because Aird has released numerous documents prepared by the university about his performance - including the key negative tenure decisions by administrators - it is clear that he was denied tenure for one reason: failing too many students. The documents portray Aird as unwilling to compromise to pass more students.

A subtext of the discussion is that Norfolk State is a historically black university with a mission that includes educating many students from disadvantaged backgrounds, reports Inside Higher Ed. The university suggests that Aird, who is white, has failed to embrace the mission of educating those who are not well prepared. But Aird - who had backing from his department and has some very loyal students as well - maintains that the university is hurting the very students it says it wants to help.
Full report on the Inside Higher Ed site