BY Diane Smith Star Telegram
Published: 05-24-07
Published: 05-24-07
FORT WORTH — A move to let seniors who failed TAKS take part in graduation ceremonies died with a split vote by the Fort Worth school board. “We’ve got to make an exception” school board trustee Juan Rangel urged the board during Wednesday morning’s special meeting. “An exception today doesn’t mean we have lowered the bar.”
The school board voted 4-4 on a motion that would have allowed seniors who had earned enough high school credits and had participated in classroom tutorials but had failed TAKS to participate in the 2007 graduations.
Trustees Christene Moss T.A. Sims and Jean McClung voted with Rangel. Trustees Chris Hatch Norman Robbins Camille Rodriguez and Board President William Koehler voted against the motion. Trustee Judy Needham was absent.
Rangel argued that those seniors were caught in a transition between two education philosophies one in which teams of educators would drill students so they could pass and one in which rigor is touted over drills.
McClung said the district hadn’t done enough to teach the students.
“We have failed African-American and Hispanic kids” she said. “We have five low performing high schools and all of them are predominantly African-American.”
Hatch and Rodriguez said that tests are a reality of the working world and that students should not be rewarded for failing. Hatch threatened not to participate in commencement ceremonies if the measure passed.
Hatch said that giving those seniors empty folders instead of diplomas is simply wrong.
“That’s fraud in my view” he said.
Some 617 Fort Worth seniors did not pass the exit-level TAKS. That’s about 16 percent of the graduating class up from about 10 percent last year.
District policy states that seniors must pass all portions of the exit-level Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills to take part in spring commencement.
Trustees Christene Moss T.A. Sims and Jean McClung voted with Rangel. Trustees Chris Hatch Norman Robbins Camille Rodriguez and Board President William Koehler voted against the motion. Trustee Judy Needham was absent.
Rangel argued that those seniors were caught in a transition between two education philosophies one in which teams of educators would drill students so they could pass and one in which rigor is touted over drills.
McClung said the district hadn’t done enough to teach the students.
“We have failed African-American and Hispanic kids” she said. “We have five low performing high schools and all of them are predominantly African-American.”
Hatch and Rodriguez said that tests are a reality of the working world and that students should not be rewarded for failing. Hatch threatened not to participate in commencement ceremonies if the measure passed.
Hatch said that giving those seniors empty folders instead of diplomas is simply wrong.
“That’s fraud in my view” he said.
Some 617 Fort Worth seniors did not pass the exit-level TAKS. That’s about 16 percent of the graduating class up from about 10 percent last year.
District policy states that seniors must pass all portions of the exit-level Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills to take part in spring commencement.
School board members had received complaints from parents who wanted an exception. Parents and students showed up at Tuesday night’s regular meeting hoping to persuade the board. Parents family members and friends of some students also showed up this morning.
