In a long-awaited statement on Duanesburg Central School's website, Superintendent Christine Crowley gives a reasonable-sounding explanation for the cancellation of the organic chemistry class ("Course's difficulty is cited," May 22).
Reading Crowley's words, the uninitiated would think the course's unexpected ending and the involuntary changing to "P" of all grades was an appropriate rescue of floundering students from a poorly planned class.
Not so. The class had been taught on a trial basis last year by the same teacher and deemed successful. This year, interested students and their parents had to sign a letter agreeing to the course's demanding requirements.
As a parent, I can report that, when the class was canceled, six of the nine in the class stood before the school board and passionately asked them to reconsider. They were thriving in the challenging environment, supportive of their teacher and wanting the chance to improve.
And at no time did any students have failing report card grades in that class.
Additionally, Superintendent Crowley stated district withdrawal procedures require permission from a parent. But, with no parent contact, the students were unexpectedly called to the guidance office on two consecutive days in late January and offered withdrawal without penalty.
We were not contacted by the school until seven days later.
What's really going on here? In this age of accountability, why hasn't the school board fulfilled its mandate and properly overseen its administrators? Why can't the board simply give the seniors the grades they earned rather than the "P" they never wanted? The confidentiality answer is getting old.
Jay Tanzman
Duanesburg