late papers

I had a professor tell me once that he could not allow late papers because it was unfair to the other students who, since they turned their papers in on time, may have had to sacrifice quality for punctuality.

???

Setting aside for a moment the thought that inferior work should be submitted at all, this argument assumes that there is a competition for the grades between myself and my fellow students. Why should my work reflect on theirs at all? In a class of "A" students, should some get "B's" out of an abundance of caution? Why don't you just throw us in a pit and let us duke it out? "...Two students enter, one A leaves!"

I get that there are probably reasons that we need deadlines. But don't pit me against my colleagues to guilt or coerce me into acquiescence. The person who suffers is the one who wants to get his grading in and start his vacation. Don't tell me it's unfair to the students, tell me it's unfair to you!

end.