I am writing a syllabus for a calculus class. Here is the back story: When I taught the course (Calculus for Business) last year, I had some very weak, but vocal students whine that the tests, etc. were tough (despite other students were doing fine), the practice exam was not similar to the actual exam (which I consider to be a good thing!) etc. Once one student started whining, more and more students started complaining about things being too difficult. I am very nice, gentle, agreeable person and I was easily bullied. The whining became more vocal throughout. At the end of the semester during an exam I was giving, the whiny student said out loud "no one can do this exam" and disrupted everyone taking the exam. I have been teaching college for six years and that had never happened. This time I want to tell them in my syllabus that if they find it too difficult, get out of my class. Here's an excerpt from the draft of the syllabus: >**Course objectives, goals, policies, etc.:** > 1) The main goal is to help you learn how to teach yourself math. I will not be able to teach you all the math you need to know, either for this course or for the rest of your life. You will have to teach yourself some of the material by reading the textbook. If you can't learn by reading a textbook, please withdraw. > 2) Whining will not be tolerated. If my course is too demanding, please withdraw. > 3) The goal is for you to do mathematics, not just to``know'' it. The more math problems you do by yourself, the better. Math eventually becomes fun when you do things yourself. > 4) The purpose of lectures is to help you keep pace with the material, and show *some* of what you need to learn. (And to address math questions you had). The purpose of lectures is not mainly to teach you the material, although there will of course be some of that. > 5) Students who I suspect have cheated, whine about how difficult the course is, or are disruptive during class may get slightly more difficult exams than other students. If you have a problem with this policy, please withdraw from this class. Anyway, my question is, "is this okay?" Especially point number 5 of giving different exams to different students. I do this to deter cheating, but the exams are not substantively different - same problems, just different numbers. But I'm saying in item 5 that I reserve the right to give substantively different exams to students.