What's going on at Petal High School?

[Tommy9854]

This doesn't make sense to me. The senior class is required to do the senior project in order to graduate. If you don't do a certain part of it, they won't let you walk. Now, on to the weird stuff.

Earlier in the year, 3 people were caught smoking weed on their way to a clinical site for Allied Health II. They were then placed in alternative school. They go to alt. school two hours a night, are allowed to do whatsoever they please during the day, and the school district allowed two of them to walk with the senior class (the third moved shchools). 2-3 other people, I'm not too sure, got placed in alternative school for certain reasons, and like the people who got caught smoking weed, they too get to walk.

Now, there was a senior before spring break who had finished their sr. project completely, but the people found out that he hadn't "spent" 3 complete hours with his mentor. Their first reaction was telling that person that they were not going to be able to walk with the senior class. HE FINISHED WHAT HE WAS SUPPOSED TO DO. They then changed their mind and let that person "spend" the hours needed with the mentor over spring break to make up for it.

Now, as of this week, another person is not going to be able to walk because a certain PIECE OF PAPER did not get signed. This person has over a 3.0 GPA, never misses school, and has never been in trouble at school, but yet they don't get to walk over a piece of paper.

Now, personally, I don't believe it's fair for people who do ILLEGAL stuff to get to walk, but yet a person that actually comes to school and stays out of trouble doesn't get to because they didn't feel like forging a signature?

[petalgirl00]

It makes no sense. I'm just glad I graduated before all the craziness of senior projects.

[RHB]

I'm sorry....do you work at the school or in the district to know all these things about various students?

[politically incorrect]

The Senior Project is no big deal to anyone who follows directions and does not procrastinate. Just about all of the schools are going to some type of project as a graduation requirement. Just like you have to pass English or Government to graduate, you have to complete the project.

Each year we hear horror stories about "innocent" students done in by the evil Sr. project, but yet, I do not know of a single student who has not graduated due to the Sr. project.

[TheCapitalist]

The unfair distribution of disipline is a problem in other schools as well. The bad students know nothing will be done and the good students see the inequities and resent it also. Bad for everyone. All too common.

[bpitt]

Whaaaaatttt??? When I attended Petal, we didn't have to do a "senior project". We had to PASS. All this crap about mentors and stuff, I just don't get. The problem is that schools are trying to be 'politically correct'. That's not their job, their job is to educate, period. If one fails, they fail. If they pass, they pass. People doing weed on campus? WTF? Are parents not up in arms over this? Geez.... Looks like I might have to revisit my old alma mater and start raising hell. We left a legacy, and it looks like it ain't being upheld. You know what I mean?

[Fish-Bait]

Sound like politics are involved...sometimes I think the word politics ought to be a curse word.

[carsalesguy]

i figured a senior project was to learn an important life skill, not how to build a speaker box like 10 people did

[Astra]

I have never been in a place where students get threatened with not being able to walk at graduation over such silly things. They threatened to pull us out of the ceremony if we wore the wrong color shoes.

[Fish-Bait]

They should protest and call the media, Petal school system will try and save face, one could say they have a recent scar because of the firecracker debacle
:protest: :protest: :help: :police: :smt076

[justme]

I have never been in a place where students get threatened with not being able to walk at graduation over such silly things. They threatened to pull us out of the ceremony if we wore the wrong color shoes.

at my school you had to wear a certain color shoes. I don't think that is odd.

[Fish-Bait]

at my school you had to wear a certain color shoes. I don't think that is odd.
What if they only had one pair that was the wrong color? It happens. I remember when I only had one pair....And they had to last me about 6 mos. or so. :smt118

[TRV25]

Tommy9854- You are so right! That is ridiculous and the parents of those students should go and talk with the principal.

Alternative school is such a joke. I know a kid who got kicked out recently and is in alternative school getting his GED. He only has class half the day. His teacher basically lets them play pool and ping pong all day and then lets them out early. He has more freedom than ever and doesn't have to work hard. I think that if alternative school is supposed to be a place of discipline for kids who have gotten in trouble- then it should be just that- a place where they teach discipline. Local alternative school definately needs reform or something. It just doesn't make sense.

I am really surprised to hear all of this about Petal Schools because they have always, in my eyes, been very good schools that are well run. I hope something is done soon for those students.

[Astra]

at my school you had to wear a certain color shoes. I don't think that is odd.
Why though? If I wear light dress shoes instead of dark ones, why should that mean I get yanked out of participating? There were a dozen things, all of them minor, that my school would yank us out from the ceremony. I just don't get it. Unless you are doing something disruptive to the ceremony, why bother with all this silliness?

[58ford]

Senior project probably has something to do with liberals.
Most stupid, and/or meaningless stuff does.

[just-Wynn]

Wynn was almost not able to walk because of the fact they didn't make official graduation gowns in his extreme size. Peoples started kicking up fuss about the black table cloth grandma hemmed up for me with the lace fringe, but i just started shouting, "Wham Bam Shabam, Wham Bam Shabam", and eventually they let me in line with my friends from the yellow van. :)

[Tommy9854]

The Senior Project is no big deal to anyone who follows directions and does not procrastinate. Just about all of the schools are going to some type of project as a graduation requirement. Just like you have to pass English or Government to graduate, you have to complete the project.

Each year we hear horror stories about "innocent" students done in by the evil Sr. project, but yet, I do not know of a single student who has not graduated due to the Sr. project.

Getting a diploma in the mail means you graduated. But you still don't get to say you walked with your friends.

And it still doesn't take away from the fact that people who got caught SMOKING WEED on their way to a clinical site get to walk, but yet people who COMPLETED their Sr. Project, but just didn't get one piece of paper signed don't get to. There is NO way anybody can justify that to me.

[SoMissTV]

I know a kid who got kicked out recently and is in alternative school getting his GED. He only has class half the day. His teacher basically lets them play pool and ping pong all day and then lets them out early.

Which alternative school has pool tables and ping pong tables?


Incidentally, HHS is implementing a senior project system in the next few years; the school board voted on it a couple of months ago.

[Tommy9854]

Which alternative school has pool tables and ping pong tables?


Incidentally, HHS is implementing a senior project system in the next few years; the school board voted on it a couple of months ago.

Supposedly, the state superintendent is trying to make it a state-wide thing. But everybody that knows about the Petal School District knows that they can't be equal with everybody. They will have to "upgrade" it.

When the teachers that are in charge of the project tell students who don't have certain things signed on time, "Oh, take this pen out in the hall, I think I just saw your mentor out there", it makes you wonder why anybody should care about it.

[cubby 1]

This coming from a guy who had to do the senior project at Petal the second year of its existence:

The whole thing is pointless. I went by the book and had no problem. There are several forms you have to get signed. Too many if you ask me. It is easy to overlook one form. The problem with the Petal School system is that they make students jump through too many hoops.

I would be willing to bet that the students caught smoking weed have parents with lots of money, or are very active in the school district. I don't know it for sure, just an educated guess from someone who has been there.

Overall, the senior project is a joke.

c1

[Tommy9854]

This coming from a guy who had to do the senior project at Petal the second year of its existence:

The whole thing is pointless. I went by the book and had no problem. There are several forms you have to get signed. Too many if you ask me. It is easy to overlook one form. The problem with the Petal School system is that they make students jump through too many hoops.

I would be willing to bet that the students caught smoking weed have parents with lots of money, or are very active in the school district. I don't know it for sure, just an educated guess from someone who has been there.

Overall, the senior project is a joke.

c1
One was one of the better football players and another had a lawyer.

[cubby 1]

One was one of the better football players and another had a lawyer.
And then there's that...

c1