Frustration

Grrr.

I have a student who writes what his mother tells him to write. Now that I can prove it with 90% accuracy... the dept won't back me.

Will this student learn that he can successfully cheat his way through life? Will he ever actually learn the skills necessary for written communication?

How am I supposed to grade this paper knowing that his mother wrote the thing? How am I supposed to hand it back to him with notes that I know he won't react to because he is just going to hand it over to his mother for her approval?

When there are so many students who are honestly giving their best effort, is it in my best interest to just turn a blind eye to him and focus on the students who are actually giving me their own work? If I didn't care, then that is what I would do. I do care... I wish it didn't matter.

Looks like I am going to dig my own grave on this one.