While a picture of the valedictorian, salutatorian and Top 10 walking across the stage at W.S. Neal High School on graduation night would be great, I'm more hoping to take the picture of those responsible for changing grades being paraded out in handcuffs.
As news started breaking last week that some grades had been changed at W.S. Neal that put a halt to naming the valedictorian and salutatorian and the Top 10 there have been a lot of rumors floating around on social media.
To be perfectly honest with you I haven't seen any of it because I don't go to social media much and those who have been running their mouths on Facebook are apparently not my 'friends' because none have shown up on my page.
I've never posted anything on Facebook. I scan it and I've made some replies, like 'happy birthday' but that's about it.
I'll give Superintendent John Knott credit that once this mess became public he's done his best to be as transparent as possible. I'm sure there are things he knows that he's not shared with me, but there is an ongoing investigation and until that investigation is complete he shouldn't be making many comments.
Knott has confirmed that there was a problem and grades somehow got changed, which apparently altered students' standing in terms of honors.
Pointing fingers at this point is useless. Until we know who did it and how they did it, it's a moot point.
I'm confident the facts will come out in the end and I'm confident that those responsible will be held accountable. If that means being arrested and charged with a crime, so be it.
I talked with District Attorney Steve Billy and he said if someone went on the school's computer and changed grades there are criminal elements, beginning with fraud.
At this point we don't know whether some grades were inflated and some were deflated but those facts will come out.
This is serious. While ACT scores carry stronger weight in terms of college scholarships, grade point averages could mean the difference between getting a scholarship or not. Now you're talking serious money in terms of college tuition and possibly room and board.
Knott told me his 'goal' is to have the valedictorian and salutatorian and the Top 10 named by graduation. That would be great, but I'd rather see it delayed if the grades don't match.
I salute Knott again for quickly calling the Alabama State Department of Education to report the problem. It's my understanding that state school board officials and computer company employees are working with the school system to not only clear up the problem, but to determine how the problem occurred and who was responsible.
Simply solving the problem and getting the Top 10 right is not enough. Finding out who is responsible and holding them responsible is not enough. We need to know how it happened and put safeguards in place to make sure it doesn't happen again.
By now I'd bet most every school superintendent in the state of Alabama and maybe beyond has heard of the ordeal at W.S. Neal High School. I'll also bet those superintendents are checking their lists and checking them twice to make sure they have the proper security in place to prevent such a thing from happening to them.
The end result of the investigation at W.S. Neal High School will hopefully expose any weaknesses in the security process that other schools and other school systems can use.
With all the eyes looking at this problem, the truth will finally come out. Until then, don't base your opinion on something that's been posted on social media. If you want credible answers, wait until credible people tell you what happened.
