How to write a formal letter?

How can I write a formal letter to the school principal asking for help?

• Okay so I have a teacher she is just the worst of the worst . if students cant answer a questions about last nights homework she takes 5 points of a quiz . when we take a quiz if we leave an answer blank we get two points taken off and then 1 more point for it being wrong. we can never make up any work. sometimes she counts to 10 and when the work that we are supposed to turn in isnt in the basket she wont grade it. also she lets other students grade out binders and quizez and stuff. i had a problem with this because a student messed up my grade by not putting the grade i had deserved i got a C on an assignment instead of an A that i should have gotten. another problem is that students have been messing up each and everyone of the desks. she said if it gets to the point where she has to replace desks she is dropping all 150 of her students a letter grade. so if you have a A you drop down to a B and so on. this isn't fair. i'm not responsible for other people actions. and i shall not be punished by other peoples actions. i want to take a stand a write a letter to the principal so we can have this teacher do her right job as a teacher and stop punishing us. how should i start my letter off? i want to make it a petition for my classmates and other students to sign as well. thanks everyone.

• Answer:

  Draft a letter just as you have said. For the principal, you need specific examples of what you consider unfair. From what you've said, I agree. One way to keep the organizers secret goes back to the labour union movement in the 19th century. Write your letter and on the last page leave it about 2/3 blank. Draw a series of concentric circles on the blank space. Then you and your fellow students sign around the circle. It's impossible to know who signed first. This is how 19th century union organizers protected themselves. The owner/boss couldn't just fire the first two names on the list. They didn't know who signed first. Oh, and photostat it first. You need a complete copy for the local newspaper if you get no justice from the principal.