Fwd: [ARN-state] Apply Some State and National Pressure Please

[Susan Harman <susanharman@igc.org>]

What a gorgeous baby! What a stupid district.

Susan

Begin forwarded message:

  From: jedoyon@aol.com

  Date: Tue Jun 3, 2008 8:00:23 PM US/Pacific

  To: ACTNOW2003@yahoogroups.com, dperl@myexcel.com, ARN-state@yahoogroups.com,
  ctchew@earthlink.net, turtlespirit3@yahoo.com

  Subject: [ARN-state] Apply Some State and National Pressure Please

  Reply-To: ARN-state@yahoogroups.com

  0000,0000,0000School districts here in Washington have the ability to allow
  students who have failed to pass the WASL to take part in graduation. This is
  the first year WASL is a graduation requirement. Mukilteo SD has refused to
  allow participation for students who have not passed.
  0000,0000,0000

  Board Members:

  LavertyKR@mukilteo.wednet.edu,SchwabJM@mukilteo.wednet.edu,ShortGW@mukilteo.wednet.edu,ThorpJW@mukilteo.wednet.edu,0000,0000,0000

  riceal@mukilteo.wednet.edu,PerkinsKA@mukilteo.wednet.edu,NamNX@mukilteo.wednet.edu,TrinhVC@mukilteo.wednet.edu0000,0000,0000

  No diploma for teen mom who chose sick baby over taking WASL
0000,0000,0000

  Story Updated: Jun 3, 2008 at 7:23 PM PDT

  By

  Tracy Vedder

  A local student was forced to choose between staying with her gravely ill
  baby or taking the WASL so she could graduate. There was never a doubt; Haley
  Johnson chose her baby.

  But the KOMO 4 Problem Solvers discovered Haley's school district never told
  her there was still a way she could graduate until it was too late.

  Haley is balancing the needs of 1-year-old Daniel with the demands of high
  school and trying to keep both happy.

  "He's part of the reason that made me want to graduate," Haley said, "so he
  won't think that when he gets older that he can just drop out because it's
  hard."

  On track to graduate from ACES Alternative High in Mukilteo, fate stepped in.
0000,0000,0000"We had to rush him to the hospital," Haley said, sobbing. "He
wasn't breathing."

  Daniel is subject to febrile seizures; he's at risk when he runs a high
  fever. On March 9, he had his worst episode and wound up spending three days
  in intensive care.

  Those were the same March days when Haley was supposed to take the WASL.

  "She had no choice," said Haley's grandmother Pauline LaPierre. "I mean what
  kind of person would stay home and take the thing while their baby was
  possibly dying? You don't do that, no. She did what she had to do."

  LaPierre says she called the school, begging for an exception so Haley could
  graduate. The District said no.

  "I do think it's unfair," said LaPierre.

  "Mukilteo takes graduation very seriously," said Judith Murdock, executive
  director of the district. "We want every student to graduate."

  Murdock says that's particularly true at Haley's Alternative High School. She
  says every single day students attend a class called FOCUS, which
  specifically plan for graduation.

  "It's where the teacher advises the students about their graduation
  requirements," she said.

  But in all those daily graduation meetings with teachers Haley says she never
  heard a word about applying for a medical waiver.

  The Problem Solvers found the special State provision which waives the WASL
  when graduating seniors have an unexpected medical emergency.

  We asked Haley if her teachers or counselor or principal or anyone from the
  district told her about the waiver after her son was hospitalized.

  "Nothing, nothing about this, never even heard of this," she said.

  By the time the Problem Solvers found out about the case, it was too late.
  The deadline was May 1.

  We asked the district's Murdock why they never told Haley about the waiver
  after she missed the WASL.

  "I'm not sure if she was told after, I mean they - the school - was unaware
  what the circumstances were," she said.

  The district adds that Haley still must prove she has enough credits to
  graduate, which could take some time. Haley just wonders why no one told her
  there was another option.

  "Why would they try to hold me back?" she said.

  Haley still plans to take the WASL in August and get her diploma. In the
  meantime, she wanted to walk in the June 12 ceremony with the rest of her
  graduating class but the district said no.
  Get trade secrets for amazing burgers. Watch "Cooking with Tyler Florence" on
  AOL Food.

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