Is a high school syllabus considered a contract

Is a high school syllabus considered a binding agreement?

My son's biology teacher issued a syllabus which told the subject matter and the weighting on the grades.
The weighting was listed as test 50%, homework & Quizzes 25%, & Labs 25%

He gave no labs the 2nd six weeks. Therefore he changed the weighting on the grades to test 63% and HW & Quiz 37%. He did not inform the students or parents. When brought to the teachers attention he is sticking to his decision to change the weights.

My college son tells me that there is a case where a college syllabus was tested and was ruled as a legal contract. Can anyone recite that case? Would this apply to high school?

The 1st six weeks he gave 3 labs and everyone recieved 100 on each of them. So history shows that the students get high grades on labs. This greatly effects the grades by as much a 8 points for some students. It would allow some students to pass if they had the high grade on labs.

Questions: Is this a legal issue to pursue?
What is the case law if any?
What would be an acceptable solution to getting fair grades?

Help.. This keeps some football players inelligle for playoff games.

I am a law school graduate. What I offer is mere information, not to be construed as forming an attorney client relationship.

Okay, here we go: motivation is football. Look, if the kid's grades were average/high in the first place, based on the homework he SHOULD have been doing, he wouldn't have to worry about this issue or barely skating by.


Football is great if you get the scholarship and the great job -- but guess what? With ever increasing standards, more athletes are recognizing the responsibility they have to keep grades high so they CAN compete with other athletes who are very very very inteliigent. It "ain't" all about strength.


As to the syllabus, it can be a binding contract if both parties performed on it. However, did they have a choice to take this syllabus or refuse it? No! This is kind of like SAT tests. These are what we call ADHESION contracts -- you must abide by them in order to take certain classes/exams/buy property, etc.

As to this specific case:

Okay as to the specific case law on this subject: Contact a law school in your area and ask the school librarian to do a search for you.

Since I don't know the state and I don't have automatic access to most legal research databases like westlaw, I can't help you.

I attempted a general internet search but was unable to find it. If you happen to know some part of the case: names, etc. it would be helpful.

IAAL? HomeGuru? Anyone?