Grade Changing Hearing Held for Lee High School Principal Dr. Pharrams
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A well-liked Montgomery Public Schools principal is in the hot seat over allegations of grade changing. A hearing was held today to determine the fate of Lee High School Principal Dr. Lorenza Pharrams.
The hearing is scheduled to last three days. Lee High School teachers and staff are being called to testify. Many are supporting Dr.Pharrams but others say he’s a guilty party.
In a small room in the Folsom Building in downtown Montgomery, Lee High School Principal Dr. Lorenza Pharrams is facing allegations that he encouraged grade changing in the school.
Outside, parents and students gathered to show their support for Pharrams.
“I just can’t picture Dr. Pharrams actually changing grades,” said former Lee High School student Mary Woodworth. “Dr. Pharrams is the reason Lee High School turned around and made us into a better school.”
“He just does great things for the school,” said parent Andrea Austin. “That’s why you got all the supporters out there. That’s why we’re here because we want to make sure our voices are heard.”
Regardless of how Pharrams’ supporters feel, it’s the state board of education that will be handing down judgement. The hearing saw several teachers who came to testify against Pharrams, including former Lee High School teacher Lesa Keith. She wasn’t able to admit recordings of what she says reflects Dr. Pharrams encouraging grade changing.
“I see nothing changing,” she said. “I see Mr. Pharrams going right back to Lee High School. I never wanted them to take his certification. All I wanted was the grade changing to stop. And all it’s done is changed it to a new name. It’s called retest and reassest.”
Keith says she feels as if her testimony fell on deaf ears.
“You have a learned helplessness in our system where kids know they’re going to pass anyway. It’s the same way it was three years ago. I ran for the board to try to stop it and what this has shown here is that you can run, you can tape, you can tell the truth and nobody will listen.”
Investigations found evidence of grade changing for 200 students at Robert E. Lee Jeff Davis and Lanier High schools.
