I don't want to be "Human"

I am an avid reader of RateYourStudents.com and for the last week or so they have had posts regarding being "human" in your grading and accepting late assignments. My only response to this idea is "screw that". If my students cannot act like the honest civilized adults they want to be treated as then why should I cut them any slack? It doesn't help them in the long run, it only enables their bad behavior.

Some of the things they have discussed lately were being understanding of adults who have jobs, families, etc. and give them extra time if they need it. My view point? You shouldn't bite off more than you can chew. It isn't fair to give Jill extra time because of other commitments she has chosen to take on if I don't give the same extra time to Jane who turns her work in on time.

But onlineadjuncter, some students will do really well if you give them extra time. Really? Will they? What happens down the road when they don't file their taxes on time? What happens when they can't meet deadlines at work? I am not helping them by giving them extra time, instead I would be a irresponsibility dealer giving them another fix of help me because I can't help myself.

What will I do? I will give them suggestions on time management. This will help them long term if they want to have so many balls in the air they can't see the sun shining down on their special little heads.

I know others will tell me I am being inflexible. Let me tell you why this is. I had a student who came to me asking me for extra time on assignments and extensions on her test dates because her mother was dying of cancer and she was taking care of her. Seems like a valid excuse right? WRONG. One phone call to her previous professors informed me that she had told them the same story. I also learned that she had used the cancer story for two consecutive previous semesters and told each professor that her mother had died. Needless to say she was shocked when her professors showed up to her meeting asking how the funerals in August and December went.