I'm being threatened by two classmates, after I gave them a low teamwork score for a project.

[Rosé Fighter]

These morons texted you?

Great, save the texts, show the teacher if they need proof.

I'm going to present a different situation - you screwed up originally by not dealing with them having a poor performance in the first place. Group work sucks but is a great example and learning experience in real world where you'll have B and C players working along with the A players. The best A players know how to either inspire / motivate/ uplift the B or C players on their team or deal with the dead weight.

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In the real world you write them up or coach them if they've already been talked to. OP told them that making up a value wasn't going to cut it, they laughed at him, so he can't exactly fire them. In the real world, say accounting, you make up values, you're either doing Hollywood bookkeeping or getting your ass fired. You unfortunately can't fire your group mates in school.

 

[Deleted member 16657]

If this professor is Gordon Ramsay then he can tell the good students from the shitty ones.

Yeah I get it, it can be nervewracking to talk to authority figures about this kind of stuff. But it will be even harder if they do it first and control the narrative.

 

[Lord Fagan]

OP, you're really dealing with some dumbfucks here.

Not only are they not good at work they're likely paying out the ass to fail at, but they're making threats in documented formats.

Sunlight is the best disinfectant, here. Like that one teammate said, they don't know how to use the fucking equipment. They won't stand up to five minutes worth of serious cross examination if your instructors get wind of them trying to bullshit their way half-assedly through scientific academia. If they think you're too moral when it comes to faked results, just imagine the rude awakening they'll discover when the people grading them weigh in on the matter. Gordon Ramsey is indeed a good way to characterize the encounter.

They won't do shit to you. Real scary and dangerous people don't warn you that they're gonna fuck you up in text messages. They just come fuck you up. The people who make a big show of it are doing so because that's really the only response they have in the lopsided power dynamics they seem to always find themselves in.

 

[Calvinien]

-Don't bluff. If modern history has taught us anything, it is that stupid people will shit in their mouth to make you smell their breath. They may call your bluff out of sheer spite and try to take you down with them. Same reason you should not try to fake screenshots. Firstly, there are ways of telling, and secondly you are being dishonest and if you have anxiety issues, you will get found out. You lose the moral high ground and if you get found out you look bad. The cover up is always easier to catch than the crime.

-get the other student who did the work and see the prof together. Explain the situation as you did here. Even the bit about the phone and the anxiety. The truth is on your side, and since you and the other person actually did they work and know what you are doing, it will be very obvious to the prof who did what and why.

I've been in a very similar situation and the prof was not a good one (we actively went forward the second the problems presented themselves but we ended up stuck with the same person) but things still ended up alright.

 

[boontobias]

Ive always lied during team evaluations of group projects. It's never worth the subsequent "Wait you got a different grade?" hassle and harassment.

If theyre threatening you with blackmail, either call their bluff and ghost them or go to the teacher. Either way dont engage in any further conversation with your former teammates.

 

[Deleted member 31817]

You should go to the teacher like you probably should have weeks/months ago when it was clear they didnt give a shit and had you and the other teammate do all the work.

 

[Deleted member 29195]

You did the right thing! Seriously you deserve massive props. Now take a deep breath, because I know they'll lose this one. Just talk to your teacher, in person, as soon as possible. Don't be aggressive, and try to keep it simple for them. You got this!

EDIT: Oh jeez, don't fake any screenshots or anything. Very much unneccessary. A calm and reasonable conversation solves this problem right away.

 

[Deleted member 31817]

Ive always lied during team evaluations of group projects. It's never worth the subsequent "Wait you got a different grade?" hassle and harassment.

If theyre threatening you with blackmail, either call their bluff and ghost them or go to the teacher. Either way dont engage in any further conversation with your former teammates.

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I normally do too but I also haven't had to deal with a single project as long and as intensive as OP is describing or with other people who so clearly don't even try to give a shit. Fuck em.

 

[PKthndr]

Always let your teacher know when you have a groupmate who isn't pulling their weight. This is about your grade and you can't have anyone messing with it. The bad teamwork mark they got is what they deserved. Talk to your teacher.

 

[Deleted member 29195]

I normally do too but I also haven't had to deal with a single project as long and as intensive as OP is describing or with other people who so clearly don't even try to give a shit. Fuck em.

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Yeah everyone I've dealt with has been much more tame. Which is why I understand not going to the teach sooner.

 

[Dremorak]

Suck it up and tell him. You might have a bad day but telling the truth and being the first one to do it is always the best idea.

 

[Ashhong]

Don't worry. Schools have many things in place to protect students. Talk to the teacher. Talk to the dean. Show them the text where he's threatening you. I remember your old thread as well. You worry a lot when you don't need to

 

[Saifu]

LOL these fucking moronic losers will go far in life.
I'd just report their ass and be done with it.

 

[Deleted member 8674]

First, go to your teacher tell him what you told us
Second, go to the school principal and tell him/her that you feel threatened

 

[Deleted member 42484]

There's really only one solution here OP, start talking karate lessons.

 

[obin_gam]

Dude why are you takling to us and not your teaher????
We (teachers) exist for a reason!

 

[Deleted member 8674]

There's really only one solution here OP, start talking karate lessons.

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[Officer Big Mac]

The girl that your make teammate is going to bat for likely has terrible test scores. Her performance is going to say a lot and your prof will know this.

 

[Thunder11]

1) You need to tell your prof first
2) prof prob already can tell what's up
3) at the end of the day, if you do well that's all that matters

 

[Pau]

I didn't realize how much group work could suck until this semester where I found myself in a similar situation. I messed up by not going to the professor ASAP. I finally talked to him yesterday, and he responded very positively. I think it's helpful to frame the discussion as advice for what to do in an academic space if you get paired with a team like this again.

In your case, one of your team members is straight up harsassing you and the other members. That in it self should be grounds to talk to the professor. If he doesn't want to deal with it, ask him who you should go to because this is not acceptable behavior.

 

[Amiablepercy]

Get used to group work because that's all you'll be doing until you rise up the ranks in most fields. You sound smart though so I'm sure it won't last.

 

[Maximus]

Talk to your teacher first. Don't let them win.

 

[gosublime]

As a teacher, I would bet all my money that your teacher already knows who is and who isn't likely to have done the work in this situation.
Go talk to the teacher, explain what has happened and be open about the fact they are harassing you.

 

[Ghostmate]

How well do you think those flat tire teammates know your project? If it's anything like when I have to carry a group, your teammates won't know jack shit. I say call them on their bluff and have the professor grill them on details of the project. It will be obvious who contributed to the work and who couldn't even fucking turn on ONE PIECE OF EQUIPMENT.

 

[Boiled Goose]

Blackmail is illegally. Talk to your teacher and school administration

 

[KtotheRoc]

Reiterating what others have said in this thread. Go to your teacher and tell them what is going on. Provide whatever evidence you can. The teacher may already have an idea as to what is going on, but go to them anyway.

 

[Deleted member 38573]

Anxiety must be off the charts buddy. I didn't care and used to hand 10/10s on peer evaluations regularly. Wouldn't feel great if they bombed their exams and were relying on project work to get them through.

 

[Deleted member 9317]

Talk to your teacher and your school. Tell them the truth, and nothing but the truth.

I had a group lab project, and my teammates just copied digits without me knowing. When I saw zero, I went to lab assistant and told him I didn't know where the numbers came from. They failed, I passed.

Talk to them. They're humans who never want to see you next semester. Move on.

 

[Ricelord]

yup i hated group projects when i was in college, just talk to your teacher mate.

 

[Subpar Scrub]

Talk to your teacher or dean. They'll know or be able to verify if your workmates are shit.

A friend of mine was going to fail his group assessment and went to the dean, less than 20 minutes later she filed a full exemption from the group mark influencing his grade and allowed for his work to be marked on its own merit. Because she could look at the records of the other students. And see they were trash. Also he had evidence that they were like "lol gonna fail who cares, can just retake the class next year" in a group chat.

 

[Alienous]

You just need to make sure your teacher hears from you first. You'll have the more detailed story.

Send an email explaining the situation, make yourself available for a face-to-face meeting to further discuss it.

The only other thing is that I would try to match the problems with the causer as narrowly as possible. 'Here's what [lazy prick #1] did, here's how I responded to it', without challenging the responses of others if it isn't pertinent, to avoid making it you vs. the majority of your team.

 

[ItchyTasty]

I feel like you should've spoken to your teacher at a waaaay earlier state when they weren't pulling their weight.

 

[HellofaMouse]

There are leechers on every group project. Your teacher knows this better than anyone, just go talk to him/her.

 

[Ojli]

Go the the teacher (or whoever is responsible for the course). Had something similar happen to me and went to the teacher and it worked out just fine.

 

[JetBazooka]

Sounds like they did do work so an F should not have been given. I would have gave them a D but I dont know exactly how much work they did. I could go up to as far as a C. In teams some people just aren't as good as you. If someone doesn't know how to work something in a team environment then you guys need to help them out and get them caught up to speed. I still cant believe you gave them an F when they gave you probably an A. Way to be a team player lol. I know professors who gave better scores for less work. I dont know you or them but you possibly could have been too critical. I suggest you take a little more time and think through decisions you make in the future. Ask yourself if you were being too critical. I wish i was there in person through the whole project so I can have a perfect picture of everything.

Also I wouldn't worry about that student who is threatening you. Just ignore them unless they say they will hurt you or something illegal like that. They wont go to the teacher.

 

[Truant]

There are leechers on every group project. Your teacher knows this better than anyone, just go talk to him/her.

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This.

 

[KeRaSh]

Sounds like they did do work so an F should not have been given. I would have gave them a D but I dont know exactly how much work they did. I could go up to as far as a C. In teams some people just aren't as good as you. If someone doesn't know how to work something in a team environment then you guys need to help them out and get them caught up to speed. I still cant believe you gave them an F when they gave you probably an A. Way to be a team player lol. I know professors who gave better scores for less work. I dont know you or them but you possibly could have been too critical. I suggest you take a little more time and think through decisions you make in the future. Ask yourself if you were being too critical. I wish i was there in person through the whole project so I can have a perfect picture of everything.

Also I wouldn't worry about that student who is threatening you. Just ignore them unless they say they will hurt you or something illegal like that. They wont go to the teacher.

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The fuck?
It sounds like they did absolutely nothing and made up shit to cover their asses for not even doing the one task they were given.
They didn't show up and even when they did, they just played on their phones. How is that a D or even a C?
Get out of here with that bullshit painting OP as the bad guy.

@OP: Go talk to your teacher.

 

[Deleted member 16876]

OP do you have the messages and all that of them harassing you?

I would take all of that and give it to the teacher. They will know what to do with it.

 

[Geoff]

Time to give them a real education...with your fists

imo

 

[Box]

He has zero time for any of this shit, in fact I think that having to deal with this will make him furious, which is why I'm not particularly fond of the idea of going to him

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Perfect. Let him know you feel the same. Really frustrating situation for you and I wish you the best.

i dont get threads like this honestly

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OP wants to vent?

 

[HardRojo]

I've been through this in uni before, I've kicked people out for being lazy or doing a terrible job. Talk to your teacher, they should understand and they would have an idea of how students have been doing so far, so if you've been doing good during the semester they'll definitely understand and take your side.

 

[.exe]

If you don't want to deal with the teacher, do you have like a student counselor or something like that to get advice from? In any case, them trying to incriminate you is enough supporting evidence that there is precedent for malice and rule bending on their part, rather than yours.

 

[Red]

Not to blame you for what's happened here. But isn't there someone you can talk to when teammates aren't pulling their weight? It should not have got to this. Do you not have recourse available?

 

[HStallion]

OP as someone on the spectrum... stop overthinking it which this topic is all about. You already said you're in your mid 20's so act like a grown up and talk to the professor about this issue or just drop it entirely and move on because you are dealing with lazy idiots.

 

[LordRuyn]

Go to the teacher, he/she probably already has a good idea at what went down. You know that super power teachers have where they can tell you copied? It's the same with BS in a project and among students. I am an English teacher here in Italy and trust me, we just know. Don't ask me how it works though, I really don't know.

 

[Red]

You aren't helpless in this situation, OP. There are structures in place to assist you. This will not be the last time you have to deal with slackers. Part of your education is learning how to navigate that environment responsibly. If you don't communicate how they are behaving, you are ensuring they continue to be your peers.

 

[Keym]

You don't need the screenshots. You have your other teammates. It's 3 against one. Worst case scenario, you can all go together to talk to your teacher.

 

[Zushin]

Fucking hate social loafers like that, especially the ones that have zero insight to their behaviour.

 

[Menchi]

This is why you resolve issues like this long before you finish. That, or just deal with them being Leechers and forget about it and give them the pass mark. Trying to battle it after the fact is pointless, and regardless of you "refusing" to use the faked results, you chose to go along with it by not reporting it then.

We've only seen your side of the story, and it just seems so black & white, when there are probably shades of grey here.

Either way, your only real option now is to do what you should have done in the first place, talk to your teacher.

 

[gaugebozo]

Sounds like they did do work so an F should not have been given. I would have gave them a D but I dont know exactly how much work they did. I could go up to as far as a C. In teams some people just aren't as good as you. If someone doesn't know how to work something in a team environment then you guys need to help them out and get them caught up to speed. I still cant believe you gave them an F when they gave you probably an A. Way to be a team player lol. I know professors who gave better scores for less work. I dont know you or them but you possibly could have been too critical. I suggest you take a little more time and think through decisions you make in the future. Ask yourself if you were being too critical. I wish i was there in person through the whole project so I can have a perfect picture of everything.

Also I wouldn't worry about that student who is threatening you. Just ignore them unless they say they will hurt you or something illegal like that. They wont go to the teacher.

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Found one of your teamates, OP