Background: I am a first year teacher at a small rural middle school/ high school (they are in the same building). I teach Middle School Social Studies. I am in my early 20s.

I had a test for my 8th graders yesterday. 25 questions MC, a few short answer ones. All about the US about The Washington Adams Admins. We studied on Thursday using a blooket (kind of like a Kahoot). After a concerning amount of students were getting questions wrong (that they should know) I moved the test to Monday and assigned the blooket as a homework assignment to do and study over the weekend. I even emailed parents and posted on Google Classroom that they should study using their notes plus blooket for at least 30 minutes a day, including Friday and before class on Monday. I thought it was over you know?

The blooket had all the answers. Like literally. I did not change the questions to my test, just a few of the wrong choices but overall the blooket had all of the answers to the test. Theoretically, if you studied the blooket, you would EASILY GET at least a 70%. Two of my problematic students did amazing on this one because they studied over the weekend using the blooket and were excited over how well they thought they did on the test, even the short answers (where they tend to usually give up). I was super happy!!

And then the happiness stopped. an hour later after posting the grades, I got an email from a parent stating that I'm targeting their student and that I didn't teach them well enough and that he is failing my class (since tests are a decent chunk of the grade) and because of that, he is ineligible to participate in basketball and will miss the upcoming games and how it's unfair for me to grade so harshly. I asked the parents if they wanted to come after or before school the next day (today) and they agreed to meet before school.

We sat down, both parents, the child, a coworker (since my principal is out with Covid) and me. I take out the exam from my bag. Student scored a 32/90. The parents get angry about why he got such a low grade on it. I asked if the student had studied for the test either by using the notes they take during class or the blooket. They said no because it's "the weekend, students shouldn't have to do schoolwork during breaks". I checked the blooket I assigned and they were 1 of like 5 that didn't even glance at it.

I explain that every multiple choice question was worth two points, and the short answer was worth 40 points total (4 questions, 10 each). There were also 6 points of EC. The student wrote that they didn't know the answer for all four Short answer questions. Not in like "i don't know" but in disrespectful ways. He finished the test in 12 minutes and then wouldn't stay quiet. He got a 26 on the multiple choice.

I am explaining all of this to the parents and they continue to get upset at me. Telling me that their student is being asked to do too much for my class. That i need to be more lenient because it's too much work for them and that they don't even need to know the majority of it. I explained that their child didn't do anything for the other 35 minutes of class. He just sat there distracting others. When I asked if he wanted to finish the short answers again, he said no that he was okay with not doing well. They complained that the last teacher was much more lenient than I am, and NO SHOT, THE LAST GUY DIDN'T TEACH THEM ANYTHING AND LET THEM BE ON TIK TOK THE LAST HOUR. STUDENTS WOULD APPARENTLY PASS WITH 100% BECAUSE HE DIDN'T GRADE AT ALL. They stormed off after my coworker, who has been working in the district for almost two decades said that I've been doing well in teaching.

According to the parents I should be pushing the student more. So what is it???? Should I push them more, or should I be more lenient??? Make up your mind.