MACON, Ga. — Some Washington County parents are upset about a policy that raises the bar for students who want to be an honor graduate. Washington County High School Principal Allen Gray says the honors grade point average requirement increased from a 91.5 to a 95.
He says the school, "focuses on student achievement and teaching to learning and levels of mastery." Some parents are saying the policy is unfair for students.
Crystal Reeves and other Washington High School parents says they were disappointed to hear about policy that went into effect in 2019.
The student handbook says beginning with the 2019 graduating class, honors graduates need a weighted cumulative average of 95 or above. "It feels like all their hard work was for nothing -- all the years, all the hard work, is for nothing," said Reeves.
Other people shared that sentiment on Facebook. Diane Roberson posted that she was very upset, to say the least. She says her child has a 93 average.
Josh Sheram says, "I feel you on this one especially after taking all the dual enrollment classes I've taken."
Reeves and other parents say they didn't know about the policy until a couple weeks ago.
Gray says the honors graduate requirement was actually put in the student handbook in the 2015-2016 school year.
A statement from Gray says the students are instructed to take the handbook home and go over it with parents who are required to sign and return it. He says the form states all sections have been read with their child and they agree to support and follow each policy.
"The handbook is the same every year, and so, therefore, we don't really go through the handbook page for page," said Reeves.
Reeves and other parents say they would have preferred a flyer or an additional notification about the change because it could affect college applications.
"That's something that stands out on your application, that you're an honors graduate," said Reeves.
Superintendent Donna Hinton says principals review their handbook in June and July and parents can tell them if they'd like them to consider any changes.