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Students Want San Dieguito School Board to Reconsider Grading Policy

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Students and parents from the San Dieguito Union High School District staged a drive-by protest at district headquarters Monday demanding the board reconsider its credit/no-credit grading policy.

With two or three people in each of about 40 vehicles, protesters made their point: They want the district to reconsider its new hybrid grading policy. They want students to be able to choose whether to receive credit/no credit or letter grades. 

“They’re hard working and they’ve earned their good grades and GPAs,” said Domenic Viotto, a sophomore at La Costa Canyon High School. "They need to go to college.”

Carson McLachlan, a junior at Torrey Pines said, “For students who achieve above and beyond, they’re getting knocked back because it’s like you’re with everyone else.”

Both students have excellent grades and have taken honors classes and advanced placement classes to boost their grade point averages.

We feel credit/no credit...does not represent the work put in.

Carson McLachlan , Torry Pines High School Junior

Superintendent Doctor Robert Haley said he has compassion for students and parents. But he says one concern is for high achieving students who do not have equal learning environments. Haley said there are many students and families in stressful circumstances cause by this pandemic. The goal is to “hold students harmless.”

Protestors say they are the ones being harmed. They say this hurts their competitive edge in terms of getting into universities and colleges, despite the fact many universities and colleges have said they will accept credit/no credit.

It's not the same as getting a grade.

Domenic Viotto, La Costa Canyon High School Sophomore

Haley said he trusts college and universities will be able to evaluate students in "this unprecedented spring semester 2020." 

As for all the hard work students have done, he said education is about more than about a grade, it is about learning and preparing for the next course.

Parents and students are not giving up. Board member Melisse Mossy said she has asked the district Superintendent for more information about the impacts of credit/no credit for students who are competing with other districts in the nation that are giving students grades. Mossy believes the board should meet as soon as possible to discuss the matter of grading.

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