Diane Tirado had been teaching history at Westgate K-8 in Port St. Lucie, Florida, for 17 years. One day, she gave her eighth-grade students two full weeks to turn in a notebook project. Some turned in absolutely nothing.
She did what any teacher would do: she gave them a zero. But the school policy requires a minimum of 50 points even if the student does not submit a single sheet. Administrators ordered her to change the grades. Tirado refused, convinced that rewarding failure to comply only teaches kids that they do not need to make an effort.
She was fired. Before leaving, she wrote a farewell message to her students on the board explaining exactly why she was fired. The school later said that the real reason was her performance and a “toxic” environment with the staff. She never changed her version: zeros are earned, just like passing grades.