Group projects can bring out the best or worst in students.

This student was paired with a classmate who refused to finish his part of their science essay.

She kept reminding him, but he kept delaying it until he decided to use an AI tool for his part.

She got annoyed and frustrated, so she decided to confront him in front of their classmates.

Did she do the right thing? Read the full story below and weigh in.

AITA for forcing my groupmate to write his part himself and make us late in submitting the project

I do pretty well in school. I am in junior high school.

I’m trying my best to keep my grades as good as they are right now.

I have a classmate named Braxton, and I am paired up with him for Science.

This is a high-graded product task essay where we have to write about the difference between photosynthesis and cellular reproduction.

This student kept reminding her partner to do his part of the essay.

I got the cellular reproduction part. He got the photosynthesis part.

I kept reminding him to do his part. He kept saying that he would.

Whenever I checked, he hadn’t updated our file.

On the final day before submission, I told him that if he wouldn’t do it, then I’d report him for having no contribution whatsoever.

She realized that he used AI for his part, so she confronted him.

The next day, he finally updated the file.

He forgot to delete the AI-generated text above.

During homeroom, I got mad at him and forced him to write his own report.

I told him I wouldn’t let us submit if he didn’t.

I didn’t take no for an answer.

He finished two days later, so they submitted their work late.

I think I was being a jerk because I was too mean and practically forced him to write it.

I also think I was the jerk because I did this in front of our classmates and embarrassed him.

Eventually, he finished two days later.

We submitted late, which gave us a slight deduction in our score.

Now, she’s wondering if she should have just accepted his AI-generated work.

Maybe I should have just accepted the AI essay instead of threatening him and getting mad.

I also made us late in submitting.

So, AITA?

Let’s find out what others have to say about this.

This user makes a valid point.

This person had a similar experience.

Short and simple.

Yes, indeed.

Finally, another sensible remark.

Sometimes, you carry the work… and sometimes, you carry the drama, too.

If you liked that story, read this one about grandparents who set up a college fund for their grandkid because his parents won’t, but then his parents want to use the money to cover sibling’s medical expenses.