Parents of black students at North Pike High School claim the method for naming students to the school’s Hall of Fame is unfair and want the district’s board of trustees to revise the process.
A group representing the parents presented its concerns and proposed revisions to the selection policy at the board’s Thursday night meeting.
“There are 150 students in the senior class — 98 are white students and 52 are black,” said Floyd Jenkins, one of the parents addressing the trustees.
“You mean that out of those 52 we couldn’t find one black student who qualified for the Hall of Fame?” he asked. “Something’s not right. The criteria is all messed up.
“Times are changing,” Jenkins said. “We’re not just talking about black students, but all minorities who are in school.
“I want our school district to be a leader in the state.”
Seven students were selected to the Hall of Fame for the 2010-11 school year. None was black. For the 2009-10 school year, six were selected for the Hall of Fame, and one was black.
Jennifer Hackett, another parent addressing the trustees, outlined similar concerns about the Hall of Fame selections, questioning the school’s current selection criteria and hinting that it was too broad.
Hackett also suggested trustees consider revising the selection process for the homecoming court, cheerleaders, and valedictorian and salutatorian.
North Pike Principal Daryl Brock said after the meeting that the homecoming court is selected by the students, adding that the football team and the band each select a maid for the court.
He said the valedictorian and salutatorian are selected by grade-point averages.
Jenkins presented trustees with a list of 74 signatures from parents seeking changes in the Hall of Fame criteria.
He said the group’s proposal was developed from reviewing Hall of Fame selection policies from other schools in the state.
The proposed revisions include a procedure allowing students to apply for consideration to the Hall of Fame, application guidelines and deadlines, eligibility for requirements and requirements for a selection committee.
Under the present selection process, teachers nominate high school seniors for the Hall of Fame based on criteria set by the school, said superintendent of education Dr. Ben Cox.
“The nominations count as a vote,” he said. “The students who receive the most nominations from teachers are selected to the Hall of Fame.”
Cox said there is no limit to the number of students a teacher can nominate.
Under current selection criteria, a student must have a high GPA, show good character and leadership, devote time to helping the school, have no behavioral problems and show an ability to cooperate with other students, faculty and administrators on school issues.
The group’s proposal tracks some of the present criteria, but it also requires students to have at least a 3.0 GPA, attend North Pike since at least their junior year and pass all subjects during high school.
The suggestions also require teachers making the nominations to have taught at North Pike for at least two years, and establish a selection committee of teachers and retired North Pike teachers.
Trustees decided Thursday to keep the current selection criteria for this school year and discuss the proposed revisions for next school year.
Trustees said later in the meeting that the Hall of Fame selections have been made for this year.
Cox said he would appoint a committee of teachers to review the proposed revisions and present a recommendation to the trustees.
“They (the parents) have done a lot of work on this and presented us with a lot of information,” trustee Etta Taplin said. “We need time to look at all of this and digest it. I don’t want to act in haste.”
Trustee Freddie Deer agreed that the board needs to take its time and review the recommendations.
“We need to make sure that we’re fair to everyone,” he said.
Both Taplin and Deer are black.
Taplin said the trustees need to take the group’s suggestions to heart, adding, “We need to have something that will address our students fairly and have the community feel that they’re a part of the school district.”
