June 26, 2017

For Immediate Release

Statement of Prince George’s County Councilman Mel Franklin on the Controversy over Prince George’s County’s Graduation Rates

Councilman Urges Focus on Student Achievement not Politics

Contact: Mel@melfranklin.net

Upper Marlboro, MD – Today, County Councilman Mel Franklin (D-District 9) issued the following statement regarding public allegations of fraud regarding Prince George’s County’s public school graduation rates:

“As a proud public school Dad, I am very pleased with the quality and the rigor of the education that my son and daughter are receiving in the Prince George’s County Public Schools.  The allegations that some portion of the school system’s great progress in higher graduation rates might be systemically fraudulent are alarming, but we should never start with a presumption that these claims are true and, instead, should allow a fair, independent, and apolitical investigation into these concerns to take place.  This is not an issue on which to grandstand on the eve of a gubernatorial election season.  There are far too many students, teachers, and administrators who are doing extraordinary, positive things in our school system to simply have their accomplishments drowned out by politics.  Grade inflation or fraud in any form is wrong for our children and, if it has occurred, even in isolated situations, it should be rooted out completely with the offending people held responsible.  However, we should avoid rushes to judgment and the usual political finger-pointing about this issue without a fair and complete evaluation of the evidence.  Our children deserve nothing less.”

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