Parents of some Laurel High School seniors who were not allowed to graduate in the May 2009 Class because they failed a state-required test are speaking out.

Alfred Jordan, a father of one of the students, said he and some other parents learned just prior to high school graduations that their children did not pass the state’s Subject Area Testing Program and would not be receiving their long-awaited high school diplomas.

“It has nothing to do with whether the child earned the required credits to get his diploma,” the father said. “They had gotten their required credits to graduate, but they didn’t pass the test.”

Jordan said there were approximately 14 children at Laurel High School affected by the state exam.

Waverly Jones said her daughter was one of them. Jones said her daughter earned all her credits, but did not pass the state test and did not graduate.

“He (the superintendent) didn’t even let them march. If he was not going to let her march, then they shouldn’t have let her pay for the cap and gown,” Jones said. “My daughter paid for a cap and gown and then the superintendent wouldn’t let her march. ... I also asked the superintendent for a letter for the state’s appeals process and he would not give her a letter.”

Carolyn Jones, the mother of a Laurel High School senior who was selected to compete at the International Sports Specialist, Inc.’s Down Under International Games, said her son missed the required score on the state test by one point.

As a result, her son did not receive his diploma and will not be able to take advantage of several opportunities.

Carolyn Jones’ son was one of 20 high school students from Mississippi selected to take part in the 21st annual Down Under Track and Field Meet. Based on his selection, the teen was scheduled to join other runners from across the United States, Australia and New Zealand at the games, which will occur in Australia later this summer.

The young athlete called his selection a “once in a lifetime opportunity.”

“My son has scholarships to (Mississippi) Valley State (University) and Jones (County Junior College), but he was not granted his high school diploma,” Carolyn Jones said.

Jordan said when he and some other parents learned about the matter, they contacted the Laurel School District, the LSD superintendent and the Mississippi Department of Education.

“We’ve been to the school district, the school board, to (Superintendent) Dr. (Glenn) Magee and the state department,” Jordan said. “We know the school district has no control over the state testing. .... Why didn’t the school district inform us about the appeals process? ... They contacted the students individually and told them that G.E.D. was an option, and it’s not.”

According to the state’s website, code 7610 which refers to the Subject Area Testing Program Appeals Process, a student can appeal for rescoring, or appeal for a substitute evaluation process.

The initial appeal is submitted at the local level for determination of merit. Then, a local decision is made to forward the appeal to the state level for consideration or to deny the appeal. If the appeal is denied at the local level, the appeal can be submitted directly to the state level for consideration.

Jordan and the other parents said that they were not told by the school district about the state’s appeal process. However, when they learned about the “appeal process” for the state exam, they requested school district’s officials’ assistance by way of the required letters needed to be sent to the state for the process.

Jordan said the superintendent did not provide the required letter.

“This (not passing the state test) is a statewide problem,” Jordan said. “There were students at Northeast Jones and West Jones that did not pass the test, but did the (appeal) process and they graduated.”

Earlier this month, Jordan addressed members of the Laurel City Council during its recent meeting to discuss the matter.

Jordan said he wants to see some changes in the requirements. Moreover, he also wants to inform others.

“I just want parents to beware because their high school senior next year may be the victim,” he said. “The future of our children will not depend on how well they perform in school. It will be determined by how well they perform on one test.”

Jordan said people need to know the consequences of students not passing the test.

“Even if the student earns the required credits, in order to receive a diploma, the state test overrules the student’s academic achievements,” Jordan said. “I realize that testing is a part of how our society evaluates an individual. Some type of procedure must be conducted to insure that one has in fact achieved the necessary skills and training that is required.”

However, Jordan said, some changes are needed.

“Now, if children with hopeless, negative feelings see the issues plaguing the system, they will surely throw their hands up, and probably give up,” Jordan added. “The slogan ‘no child left behind’ means little, when the system is leaving them behind.”

The school district public relations department was contacted to respond to this matter, but no comment was issued from the Laurel School District.