UPPER MARLBORO, Md. 鈥� A handful of parents, community members and Board of Education members gathered Thursday night to discuss what should come next for Prince George鈥檚 County Public Schools in the wake of an audit with surprising results.
The audit revealed that 25 percent of the students in the sample聽had grade changes in 2016 and 2017 that couldn鈥檛 be verified. It also claimed that a small percentage of students who donned a cap and gown shouldn鈥檛 have been allowed to graduate.
鈥淕uys, we are failing our kids,鈥� 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鈥檚 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.
鈥淭here are folks in leadership dismissing all this as poor record keeping, that鈥檚 just simply not true,鈥� Burroughs said.
Also in attendance was spokesman for the school system John White, who says the report didn鈥檛 show any fraud on the part of the school system but did show officials what needs to be reviewed.
鈥淲hat 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,鈥� White said.
One parent said she believed her child received grades they shouldn鈥檛 have in high school and that led to remedial courses during their first year of college.
鈥淗ow can they get an 鈥楢鈥� in math and then still have to take remedial classes in college?鈥� 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.
鈥淵ou鈥檙e getting paid from my tax dollars, so if I鈥檓 telling you I want something better, you need to just do it,鈥� Melton said.
Jason Gordon, a health teacher at Wise High School, says the frequent changing of policies is a struggle for teachers.
鈥淭he problem that we have as educators is that policies are being changed by people who have never set foot in a classroom,鈥� 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.
鈥淚t needs to be addressed and it needs to be fixed,鈥� Ahmed said.
