UPPER MARLBORO, Md. — A handful of parents, community members and Board of Education members gathered Thursday night to discuss what should come next for Prince George’s County Public Schools in the wake of an audit with surprising results.
The audit revealed that 25 percent of the students in the sample had grade changes in 2016 and 2017 that couldn’t be verified. It also claimed that a small percentage of students who donned a cap and gown shouldn’t have been allowed to graduate.
“Guys, we are failing our kids,” said community member Mohamed Sesay at the meeting, held at the school board headquarters in Upper Marlboro.
The meeting Thursday night was held by several members of the Board of Education who have been critical of the school system’s leadership. Among them was Board of Education member Edward Burroughs, who says significant flaws found during the audit are due to a lack of accountability and a lack of oversight.
“There are folks in leadership dismissing all this as poor record keeping, that’s just simply not true,” Burroughs said.
Also in attendance was spokesman for the school system John White, who says the report didn’t show any fraud on the part of the school system but did show officials what needs to be reviewed.
“What we need to do is tighten up the procedures and practices in the school system so that grade changes are made correctly in instances where they need to be made,” White said.
One parent said she believed her child received grades they shouldn’t have in high school and that led to remedial courses during their first year of college.
“How can they get an ‘A’ in math and then still have to take remedial classes in college?” she said.
Natalie Melton is the parent of a 16-year-old at Dr. Henry A. Wise Jr. High School, and she felt members of the school system need to listen more to parents.
“You’re getting paid from my tax dollars, so if I’m telling you I want something better, you need to just do it,” Melton said.
Jason Gordon, a health teacher at Wise High School, says the frequent changing of policies is a struggle for teachers.
“The problem that we have as educators is that policies are being changed by people who have never set foot in a classroom,” Gordon said.
Board of Education member Raaheela Ahmed said it was concerning to see that some students who should not have been passed were passed.
“It needs to be addressed and it needs to be fixed,” Ahmed said.
