Why You Can't Fail My Daughter

The NYTimes tells the story of Austin Lampros, a New York City teacher at the High School of Arts and Technology in Manhattan. Lantos failed a student after she had missed dozens of class sessions and failed to turn in numerous homework assignments. She did not even shown up to take the final exam. She did, however, attend the senior prom. Lantos's failing grade would have kept her from graduating - again. But the principal intervened, allowing her to take the final exam. She scored a 66 which still gave her a failing grade for the class. No matter, the principal passed her.

It is not a proud moment for public schools or for a system where administrators feel pressure to show student improvement or face the loss of funding. But it also not a proud moment for the parents of the girl:

From Michigan, Mr. Lampros recalled one comment that Mrs. Fernandez (parent) made during their meeting about why it was important for Indira (daughter) to graduate. She couldn’t afford to pay for her to attend another senior prom in another senior year.