The Pueblo High School principal reacted to our investigation on grade changing in one TUSD school. Sources tell KGUN9 that an administrator changed grades allowing a number of students to graduate when they otherwise might not have.
The only detailed response to KGUN9's report earlier this week isn't coming from an official statement or explanation from the school district itself, but rather through Facebook.
The principal posted on Pueblo High School's Facebook page after our story aired. He wrote: "Last night on KGUN9 On Your Side, it was reported that I changed the grades of four seniors. Channel 9 irresponsibly aired this report without first having a dialogue with me or receiving an official statement from our District. Equally important, is the fact that I didn't change any grades."
Our sources have extreme fear of district retaliation so what we reported was very limited. We reported that sources tell KGUN9 that an "administrator" changed at least 4 grades in the core subjects, from Fs to Ds, allowing those seniors to graduate. We did not single out the principal.
And KGUN9 has documents that show the administrator changed the grades without the teacher's consent, a violation of state law Title 15 as well as the district's own policy.
And we reported that we also contacted the district on Monday. The district said it already knew about claims of grade changing and documents show the principal denied allegations of wrongdoing.
KGUN9 asked the district if the principal's Facebook post is TUSD's official response, but a district spokesperson did not provide an official statement on these issues and said that the principal has spoken for his school on the matter.
KGUN9 stands by our report.
