Graduation policy will stand

By 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