Every teacher has a different way of dealing with the student who submits his/her homework past the deadline. The common excuse that a dog chowed down on your homework isn’t even seen as a tolerable response in this modern day and age. Teachers put up quotes and humorous posters to remind you that your late work will never be accepted no matter what the excuse is, but what if the excuse is totally legitimate, and the student was, in fact, not able to turn in that one assignment? These real excuses fall into vast categories: the family, the best friend, the evils of technology, and the totally bizarre.
Family comes first is common amongst many different people, and choosing family over homework is a decision that doesn’t need to be looked at twice. Sometimes, there may be a loss in a family and the student feels he needs to be there, or a birth and the student wants to experience the event with his family. A student should be given extra time to complete his work should this be the case. I’ve been through a loss on a school day and I can confirm from that experience, that you tend to forget all about what happened at school, or what was going on that day. Instead, you are more likely to sit quietly and think about the role and impact that the loss is having on you. It’s tough when emergencies arise in a family and the student wants or is required to be there to help. The students are sometimes the ones being turned to when a drastic event happens, or they may feel the need to be there to aid other family members.
Close friends may be like family, also requiring one’s attention when tragedy strikes. When students hear that a friend was injured or is facing a personal crisis, they justifiably want to be there for them. I remember when I was in elementary school, one of my classmates was killed in a car accident. I had a friend that knew him very well and was overwhelmingly sad and angry about the situation. I wanted to help hi...