Will They Get School Credit for This?

Grant High School had more students cut class on May Day than any other Portland Public School.  Two hundred and forty three students were out of school on May first, compared to 115 the day before, a 111% increase.  Jefferson’s Young Women’s Academy lost the second highest number of students in terms of percentage increase with a 52% increase, followed by Franklin and Lincoln High Schools with a 14% increase absentee rate on May Day.

The high number of absences could be attributable to other things but you can check the numbers yourself after the jump.

Police Stop Rampaging of Lincoln High

Lincoln High’s absentee rate likely would have been higher had students successfully crashed the school as planned. They were stopped by Portland Police and the school was put in lock down. 

So, will “The Children,” who called for no cuts in funding for schools and who took over the Steel Bridge against the demands of police, get “credit” for skipping school and participating in the May Day antics? 

Matt Shelby, the spokesman for the schools says it’s entirely possible that students could get credit if the activity comports with a class the students are taught. But two school representatives Eric contacted said the following:

From: Peyton Chapman [mailto:peytonc@pps.net]
Sent: Friday, May 04, 2012 11:42 AM
To: Eric Peterson
Subject: RE: Kpam radio request

I am checking with faculty but usually we do not give credit for attending off site activities during the regular school day unless there is an approved field trip. We did not have any field trips to the rally.

 

Peyton Chapman

Lincoln High School Principal

From: Brian Chatard [mailto:bchatard@pps.net]
Sent: Friday, May 04, 2012 9:59 AM
To: Eric Peterson
Subject: RE: Kpam radio request

Eric,

I am not aware of any staff here at Grant making deals with students about their participation in the march. I suspect that if such deals were struck staff would not be coming to me to ask for permission because they know full well that I would not be able to excuse students from school for any reason or advise them to without a parent’s permission. 

BC

We’ll keep you posted. If you know of any students who cut class and got credit for going to the protest I’d like to hear about it.  Victoria@KPAM.com