Home | How It Works | Stats Login | Register         Case: Unclear Future In my many years of teaching high school, I have seen all types of students. Noora, a student from Pakistan, was one of the most special students. She was definitely one of the most intelligent I have had. She also had an extraordinary work ethic and interpersonal skills. When other students in her class had difficulty with any subject, Noora was there to help them. I thought she had a very bright future. Knowing her strong skills and knowledge in math and sciences, I thought she would go to a prestigious university. One day I decided to talk to Noora about her future plans and I was shocked by what I heard. She said that two months after graduating from high school, she was going to get married to the son of a family friend. She did not seem very disturbed by this. I went to talk to Noora's parents to explain to them what a great student she was and why they should reconsider their decision to marry her at such a young age. I told them that what they were doing was unfair. The very next day Noora's family sent a formal complaint letter to my school principal stating that I was being disrespectful their culture, and that it is their business to decide their daughter's future, not the teacher's. I was devastated when the principal informed me about this. I thought I was being a good teacher. I still do not want to give up on Noora's future. What should I do? Solution: (Rates are posted for this solution!) While I do think that Noora would be able to achieve a great deal after high school I do think that it is best for the teacher to realize the difference in cultures. A lot of cultures marry early and in this fashion. She may not have any problem with doing this after high school and depending on his tone and how he discussed his worry with her parents, he could come off as disrespectful and insensitive. One of the hardest things to do as a teacher is to realize that you have no control over your students and what they do after you teach them. The only thing you can do is prepare them for the world, motivate them, and give them as much information as possible so that they can make a decision for themselves.