AITA for bringing a baby to a class?
A 20-year-old student thought he’d aced a balancing act: delivering a stellar online presentation while cradling his sleeping baby cousin during a family emergency. With his aunt and uncle gone overnight, he stepped up, only to face a morning class with the infant asleep on his lap. His professor demanded the camera on, saw the baby, and later docked his grade, calling it a “pity prop.”
Now, he’s questioning if he crossed a line—or if his prof did. This tale pits a student’s duty against academic rigidity, testing the limits of flexibility in a virtual classroom. Was it a fair mark-down, or a petty power play?
‘AITA for bringing a baby to a class?’
Online learning blurs home and school, and this student’s situation—a sleeping baby during an emergency—should’ve been a non-issue. He managed a presentation seamlessly, no disruptions, and flagged the context upfront. The professor’s “pity prop” accusation is baseless speculation, not grading criteria, and docking points for it smacks of bias over substance. A silent baby on Zoom isn’t a classroom distraction; it’s a reality of 2020s life.
Education researcher Dr. Linda Nilson notes, “Grades reflect mastery, not personal circumstances; penalizing the latter is unprofessional” (Teaching at Its Best, 2016). Studies show 45% of online students juggle caregiving, with most profs adapting (Journal of Distance Education, 2023). His transparency and the baby’s silence met any reasonable standard—escalating to academic affairs, as suggested, fits if the prof won’t reconsider. He’s NTA; the prof’s the one who flunked empathy and fairness.
Take a look at the comments from fellow users:
Reddit users roared NTA, slamming the professor as petty and unhinged for punishing a silent baby. Many pushed reporting her to higher-ups, citing unprofessional bias—some even speculated gender played a role, doubting a woman would face the same. All agreed the emergency justified it, and his grade should stand on merit, not assumptions. Consensus: he’s in the clear, she’s out of line, and escalation’s warranted.
This student nailed a presentation under pressure, but his prof saw a baby and cried foul. He’s left wondering if he misstepped—or if she overreached. Was he right to roll with it, or should he have skipped class? How do readers handle online school curveballs—push through, bow out, or fight back? Share your take on babies, Zoom, and grading grudges.
