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May 27, 2023

New Bern High seniors told they are unable to graduate amid principal, counselor suspension

A group of around 50 students have been informed they will not walk during New

A group of around 50 students have been informed they will not walk during New Bern High School's graduation on Friday morning, amid the school's principal and a guidance counselor's suspension last week.

A group of around 50 students have been informed they will not walk during New Bern High School's graduation on Friday morning, amid the school's principal and a guidance counselor's suspension last week.

On Tuesday, May 30, New Bern High Principal Jerry Simmons and school guidance counselor Heidi Ricks, New Bern High School Counselor were both suspended with pay. The Sun Journal spoke with several reliable sources, who remain anonymous, and was told Simmons and Ricks were being investigated for allegedly altering students’ grades.

New Bern High School senior Elijah Tripp, who recently received a basketball scholarship to play at Rock Hill Community College in South Carolina, is one of the seniors who was told he would not be walking during graduation.

"On Monday, we were told some of us would not be graduating because of a grade we were missing or the grade wasn't up to par," Tripp said. "They are telling us we will have to go to summer school and in August they’ll have another graduation for us."

On Tuesday, Director of Public Relations for Craven County Schools Jennifer Wagner explained the process of student's graduating.

"At the end of every school year our high schools are tasked with notifying parents whose students are not eligible to graduate based on the final outcome of their last semester of school," Wagner said in an email. "In order for seniors to be eligible to graduate, they must meet all course and attendance requirements established by the state to earn credit toward achieving their diploma. It is the goal of Craven County Schools for all seniors to have an opportunity to walk with their classmates on graduation day."

Wagner went on to say the school system offers many options to help students earn credit over the summer and receive their diploma once all necessary requirements fulfilled.

This is an option Tripp will have to take in order to graduate.

"It will be a condensed summer class but my biggest problem is if they were able to offer it to us yesterday, we could have finished it by Thursday and would be able to graduate Friday," Tripp added.

The majority of students who are unable to currently graduate are said to be student athletes, prompting the question of if the North Carolina High School Athletic Association or the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction is also investigating due to potential athletic ineligibility.

Both the NCHSAA and the NCDPI have said they are not looking into the suspension of Simmons and Ricks.

The Sun Journal also reached out to Raleigh-based law firm Tharrington Smith, who specializes in education law, and is said to be leading the investigation. Questions were asked as to if they could confirm they were leading the investigation and if they would be releasing their findings once it is closed.

The firm said they were unable to respond and referred the Sun Journal to Craven County Schools. The school system declined to respond to the questions, saying it remains a "confidential personnel matter."

North Carolina General Statute

According to NCGS 115C-288, the principal shall have authority to grade and classify pupils. In determining the appropriate grade for a pupil who is already attending a public school, the principal shall consider the pupil's classroom work and grades, the pupil's scores on standardized tests, and the best educational interests of the pupil. The principal shall not make the decision solely on the basis of standardized test scores. If a principal's decision to retain a child in the same grade is partially based on the pupil's scores on standardized tests, those test scores shall be verified as accurate.

A principal shall not require additional testing of a student entering a public school if test scores from a nationally standardized test or nationally standardized equivalent measure that are adequate to determine the appropriate placement of the child are available.