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Graduation policy will stand
TweetBy Harold Gwin
The school board has declined to change its policy on graduation participation.
YOUNGSTOWN — A group of parents of city school seniors want their children to be able to march with their classmates at commencement, even through they won’t be getting diplomas.
Their children failed to pass one or more sections of the five-part (math, reading, science, social studies and writing) Ohio Graduation Test, and the state says passage of the entire test is required before a student can graduate.
“How can you deny them the right to participate in graduation?” asked Lynette Partee of South Heights Avenue, who said her son is one of those affected.
“The state has left the decision in your hands,” she told the school board, encouraging the board to allow the students to walk in an event which provides “a lifetime memory.” Some schools allow seniors to walk with their classmates even though they won’t be getting diplomas, she said.
Youngstown has enforced a strict policy in the past that prohibits students who aren’t graduating from participating in the graduation ceremony.
Superintendent Wendy Webb said that, of the approximately 320 members of the combined senior classes at Chaney and East high schools, about 50 have not passed all sections of the OGT and won’t be allowed to walk at commencement.
Lock P. Beachum, Sr., school board vice president, said the board policy will stand.
“It’s a hard decision to make,” but the policy won’t be changed, he told the group.
Jarron Yancey of Idora Avenue is a senior at East and told the board that he is one of the affected students.
He said he has a learning disability but has secured the needed credits and other requirements to graduate but hasn’t been able to pass all segments of the OGT.
That test is causing some people to drop out of school, he told the board.
“I’m trying my hardest. I think I deserve to walk across that stage,” he said.
“Something like this can really hurt a child’s spirit,” said Kim Kitchens of Fifth Avenue, who said her daughter is affected.
She was in parochial school until the ninth grade and then moved to Texas but came back to Youngstown for her senior year, Kitchens said. She’s taken the OGT twice but both times didn’t pass the science section, Kitchens said.
“My daughter has worked very hard to get her credits to graduate,” said Helen Womack of Halls Heights Avenue. The senior is a member of Junior ROTC and does well in school despite recently moving here from Las Vegas and having to work doubly hard because of a problem with the transfer of high school credits, she said.
The announcement that she won’t graduate was “devastating to her,” Womack said.
Webb said the district offers a special intervention session to help those affected students prepare to take the OGT again in July.
Those passing the test at that time will be able to participate in summer commencement.
gwin@vindy.com
Comments
These kids take this test in 10th grade. If they can't pass in by the time graduation rolls around, then obviously they aren't quite ready to graduate.
Perhaps instead of crying that their children won't be walking at commencement, these parents should instead be putting forth every possible effort to help their children pass the OGT.
I am not the biggest advoate of this test by any means, but it's a standardized test that is required and that's just the way it is. Personally, I would be embarrassed to walk at graduation if I wasn't even technically graduating. Not letting these kids walk was a good decision. Once they pass all five parts of the OGT, I think they will realize their hard work paid off and they will in turn be more grateful and appreciative of it.
There are many tools for preparing for these exams such as study guides, practice tests, and time slots the school districts provide to all children for 5 days a week and 9 months a year called "classes". If the children were to attend and actively participate in these "classes", their chances of mastering subjects at the high school level greatly increase.
Not only do school districts offer these "classes", but they also offer help to students with learning disabilities, as long as the children/families seek help.
Effort goes a long way in the world, even to those who have to try harder.
My son has a learning disability and had passed all parts of the then proficiency tests by October of his tenth grade year. We made him take summer preparation classes and he was told he had no choice but to pass it - so he better take it seriously. Parents, stop making excuses for your children. You won't be around forever and they need to learn what succeeding in life is all about. Of course, if they live in homes where academic success is not valued - they won't feel it is necessary to pass - after all Mom and Dad will fight their battles for them.
“How can you deny them the right to participate in graduation?”
Duh, if they aren't graduating then they don't have the right to participate!
These tests are akin to "are you smarter than a 5th grader" questions for crying out loud.
I think the kids walking across the stage is more for the parents than for the students. Get the passing grades - get to graduate. Just that simple.
This is 9th grade proficiency - not 12th grade. Students start taking these test in the 10th grade.
IT NEVER CEASES TO AMAZE ME CONCERNING THE LACK OF DISTINGUISHING GOOD KIDS FROM HOODS BY SOME!!!!! OF THE RESIDENTS OF OUR FINE CITY. IT SEEMS THAT THERE'S BEEN A LACK OF UNDERSTANDING,THESE KIDS WANT TO ACHIEVE AND HAVE ASKED FOR HELP TO CONTINUE ON THE RIGHT PATH.LET ME GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE AS TO THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN GOOD YOUTH AND BAD.HOPEFULLY YOU WILL UNDERSTAND. THEY DIDN'T HAVE TO CALL THE PO -PO !!!!! GOT IT. IT DOSEN'T TAKE A 5TH GRADER TO UNERSTAND THAT.THESE KIDS HAVE RECIEVED ALL 20+ CREDITS REQUIRED TO GRADUATE AND THEY DO NOT WANT SOMETHING FOR NOTHING.
Boochie, how about you calm down and lose the caps.
Your example is very irrelevant, by the way. Am I understanding that properly enough to assume that you're saying just because the the cops weren't called and these kids aren't sitting in JJC, that they deserve to walk at graduation?
I'm sorry, but in my opinion, letting these kids walk at graduation after they continuously failed the OGT is equivalent to sending a college acceptance letter to students who did very poorly on the ACT just to make it "look like" they made it into a good school -- but, in all actuality, the students knew all along weren't REALLY accepted; they just wanted to show the letter to their parents to make it look like they were. Just like these kids aren't REALLY graduating.
Furthermore, I graduated from high school as a Valedictorian. I EARNED my privilege to walk that day and that's exactly what it is -- a privilege, not a right.
To all of comments that favor the board's decison, there are understandable circumstances to every situation. Yes, there were children that never attended classes, never tried to get help in preparing for these test, and parents never showed any concern. These aren't the children that are trying to participate in the graduation. These are children that have moved to area this year and never took these test until now. These are children that received more than enough credits to graduate and have a high GPA and have missed by one point of the OGT. Its not the parents that are concerned that the children walk, we have already had our walk. And a sad thing to admit is that other area schools let children participate. No one wants to talk about that, only because its Youngstown people have something to say. And its okay my child didn't pass the science by one point but she will take the test again, and she is already enrolled at Kent State. So for all of the people that want these kids to fail shame on you, this will only make them stronger individuals to deal with people like you-only in Youngstown
It amazes me how so many people have all of these negative things to say about the students that didn't pass all 5 parts, but none of you have taken these tests for yourselves.
I am a Senior at East, who has also been affected by these test. This was my 1st year attending an Youngstown-City school and also taking the OGT test. I attended all of the intervention classes that were offered to help me in the subjects that I was weak in & I studied but I still failed Science by ONE POINT...knowing that this test can make you or break you puts a lot on us students; senior year is stressful enough without these test.
Now it's understandable for the board not to allow the kids that didn't give a 2cents about whether or not they were graduating to participate, but what about the kids who worked hard & care about their future??? The adults talk all this mess about how you want us to achieve in life, but how can we go further with our careers if we are being held back..I mean ONE POINT?!?! that's just ridiculous!!
Do you guys even realize how hurting it is to know that you went to school all these years and the event that you dreamed about for almost your whole life you can't even participate in?? All of this can depress & discourage a person to not even want to take these tests again... I just wish you guys gave the kids that did put some effort some leeway & saw things from our point-of-view...