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Raised grade raises ire

By Susie Gran
Originally published 08:04 a.m., May 15, 2007
Updated 12:29 p.m., May 15, 2007

Smart Box

Appealing a failing grade

The process followed at Albuquerque Public Schools for appealing an F starts at the school.

The parents' first contact is the teacher, then the principal.

If the matter is not resolved, it can be appealed to the principal's supervisor or to the Student Service Center.

Based on a review, the supervisor can order the grade changed or uphold the original teacher's decision.

Source: APS spokesman Rigo Chavez

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A school district administrator's decision to overrule a Rio Grande High School teacher and let a failing senior graduate tonight has ignited a firestorm at the South Valley school.

The student's father says the grade review was warranted, and the move was supported by Albuquerque Public Schools Superintendent Beth Everitt. But the decision has teachers protesting, talk radio abuzz and a handful of students scrambling to get their own grades revised in hopes of graduating tonight, too.

The student whose grade was changed is the son of former Albuquerque Board of Education member Miguel Acosta and Bernalillo County Commissioner Teresa Cordova, adding yet another dimension to the uproar.

Teachers are furious, said Rio Grande Activities Director James Chavez. "It's wrong for anybody to step in and decide for a teacher," he said. "This is wrong. This is an attack on teachers across the district."

The teacher involved is filing a grievance against the district that could have far-reaching consequences, a union leader said.

"Teachers everywhere will be asking, `So what does my grade mean, and will it get overturned?' " said Ellen Bernstein, president of the Albuquerque Teachers Federation.

"It is inappropriate for the district to overturn a teacher's grade," she said. "Teachers are really upset. How many grades are going to get overturned?"

Rio Grande High Principal Al Sanchez said Monday he was given a directive, in writing, from his cluster's director of instruction, Elsy Fierro, to pass the student over the objections of his English teacher. Sanchez said he stands behind teacher Anita Forte.

"I couldn't change a grade," Sanchez said. "I was given a directive."

Fierro did not return phone calls seeking comment, but Everitt said today she supports the decision to change the grade because the school failed to give proper notice to the family that the student was failing his English class.

"There was a deficiency notice of his F in math," she said, which caused the student to buckle down and pass the class. In English, he was told he'd pass if he took the final and turned in his work, Everitt said.

"There was a misunderstanding, apparently, between the family and the teacher," Everitt said.

"The system of notification and getting help for the student did not happen," she said. "He wasn't provided the help others got."

The district gets about 10 calls every spring about a failing grade that prevents a senior from graduating, APS spokesman Rigo Chavez said.

He did not know how many of those cases reach the district level or were resolved at the school level.

But as of late Monday, five of 40 Rio seniors with Fs had appealed their grades in hopes of being included in tonight's graduation ceremony at The Pit for 284 seniors.

Fierro on Monday asked the five students' teachers to review their work, Chavez said. He didn't know when the reviews would be finished.

Fierro was also reviewing the 40 cases to determine if the proper notification was sent to parents about the failing grades, Chavez said.

"Based on this case, there's a possibility Rio did not adequately inform parents about student progress and attendance," Chavez said.

Parent Miguel Acosta, who stepped down from the school board in March, confirmed that his son received a passing grade in English after a district review.

"The district decided there was a basis for reviewing all of his work," Acosta said of his son's assignments that were turned in late.

Acosta said the teacher refused to accept and grade his son's late work and extra-credit work. Also, he said his son got the highest grade in his class on the final exam.

"It was a 95 or something like that," Acosta said. But the teacher averaged that grade "in with a bunch of zeros for work she didn't want to grade," Acosta said.

"Potentially, he (the son) had an F if all of his work wasn't graded," Acosta said.

The teacher could not be reached for comment.

Acosta said his ex-wife, Cordova, took their son's case through the appeal process.

"She has more detail. It was a due process issue," he said. "Call her."

Cordova did not return Tribune calls seeking comment.

Acosta criticized the school principal for not handling the matter at the school level.

"Now people are complaining because I'm a former board member and his mom is a commissioner. They are going to turn this into a political thing and run my son through the mud," Acosta said.

Union President Bernstein said she doesn't know of another case where the district changed a teacher's grade. The union contract specifies only the teacher can change a grade.

"This is very, very rare," she said of the district's directive. "And this is very politically charged."

Principal Sanchez said he received the written order to pass the student Friday and had the graduation list updated Monday by the activities director.

This is the second time this year Sanchez has not had the backing of his superiors.

In December, he was criticized for violating district policy by taking a student off campus to a barbershop without parent permission. Acosta was among Sanchez's critics at that time.

"I'm already in trouble over this because the district came in," Sanchez said of the grade change. "And my teachers are very upset. Everybody's upset."

Sanchez said he wasn't about to overrule a teacher on a grade, regardless of the consequences.

"At least I'll go down helping teachers," he said.

This could be his last stand, he said.

"I'm dead, man," he said in an interview late Monday. "This sucked the last juice right out of me."