It is appalling that such schemes were even thought up, much less carried out.
It is equally appalling that Moore County Schools Superintendent Pat Russo would state that he is “puzzled” by the issue, that no one has complained to his office and further that he is “perplexed” at the questions now being raised that weren’t raised “years ago.”
Pardon the delay. If not for The Pilot, I still wouldn’t know.
Were school board members aware of this practice? If so, then they all silently approved of it. I refuse to believe that is the case.
Though Russo left Savannah, Ga. in 1998, it was reported in 1999 in the Savannah Morning News that students in his former district were denied SAT registration packets because they weren’t “academically prepared.” The report further stated that “all counselors at every school here … .are heavily encouraged to talk ‘academically unprepared’ students out of taking the test until they’re ready.”
The College Board, which sponsors the SAT, was quoted as calling the practice “inappropriate,” “professionally irresponsible” and “unethical.” There seems to me little difference between denial of registration or payment for taking or not taking the SAT in order to skew test scores.
Benjamin Disraeli was right. Lies, damned lies and statistics.
David Carpenter
Southern Pines
