Graduating Students Defend Brooklyn High School Hit With Allegations Of Grade Fixing
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Graduation day arrived Thursday for John Dewey High School in Brooklyn, as an investigation continues in an alleged grade-fixing scheme.
As CBS2's Dick Brennan reported, many of the seniors defended their school, and their diplomas, as they received them.
Students in the 2015 graduating class at Dewey walked into their commencement ceremony Thursday morning in their red caps and gowns. The scandal has placed many of the 290 seniors under a cloud of suspicion, but many, like senior Breanna Pascal, were proud at their accomplishments and were adamant that they truly earned their diploma.
"I've worked hard my whole senior year," Pascal told CBS2's Andrea Grymes. "Sweat, cried, stayed up all night -- and I've worked part time. All the allegation stuff, I think honestly, is not true."
"We worked hard to get where we're at," said senior Janajia White.
The grade-fixing allegations come from a small group of teachers, who last year risked their job last year and blew the whistle on what they call massive academic fraud.
"At least 10 percent of these students don't deserve to graduate," said John Dewey social studies teacher Wade Goria.
City education officials have been investigating since last year after some teachers came forward accusing administrators of a widespread grade-fixing scheme to inflate graduation rates.
"The practice of changing grades, giving false grade reports, creating shadow courses for the purposes of awarding credit has become a way of life at this school," said science teacher Michael Klimetz.
"I think they've been cheated out of an education," said Goria.
So what has the city done in the last year? Earlier this month, schools Chancellor Carmen Fariña said the majority of the claims were so far unsubstantiated, but the investigation was ongoing.
CBS2 Political Reporter Marcia Kramer went demanding answers Fariña Wednesday about the situation. But Fariña desperately scrambled away from CBS2's cameras and dodged questions, with the help of a man running interference, Brennan reported.
But the Department of Education on Thursday said in a statement that it is close to wrapping up the investigation.
"If there are substantiated claims of grade fraud that affect credits students need to graduate, those students will be required to secure the credits in order to graduate," the department said.
Of course, the class of 2015 has already graduated. The investigation is being conducted by the DOE's Office of Special Investigation, and not the city's Department of Investigation.
The teachers speaking out said they believe the city is sweeping the scandal under the rug, and said they do not believe investigators are looking at all of their evidence.
"Eight of us have met with the Office of Special Investigations on December the 3rd, 2014, and since then, absolutely nothing has been done," Klimetz said. "We'd like to move on."
Meantime, a senior parent told CBS2's Brennan her daughter got a great education at the school and deserved to graduate.