"This SUCKS!": Clayton County schools in jeopardy of losing accreditation

On Friday, Feb 15, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) recommended that Clayton County Public Schools lose their accreditation. The loss of Clayton County’s accreditation could mean serious trouble for over 50,000 students attending the county’s schools. A loss of accreditation would mean difficulty transferring to high schools in other districts, no HOPE scholarships and trouble getting into some universities. Also property values for residents would drop and funding for pre-kindergarten would be cut. The county has until September of this year to fix the problems, including the dysfunctional Board of Education members. SACS also wants to see more affordable recreational centers.

This SUCKS! I discovered the news during my sixth period class. One of my friends came into the room and the only words I heard were “We lost accreditation.” After learning this, I went straight to my mother, who works in the school’s counselors office. All I could do was cry when she told me that she had no idea what to do. A lot of people have thought of leaving the county as a solution. But the thought of abandoning my great teachers, being away from my best friends and leaving my home for more than six years made me cry even more. But if I stay here, because I’m a sophomore, all the hard work that I was planning on putting into my two final years of school would be worthless.

What hurts the most is that I feel like Clayton County, SACS and the Board do not even care about the students and what is going to happen to us once this ordeal is over. I’m not the only student who feels this way.

How do you feel about Clayton County schools losing accreditation?

- Raven Hathcock, sophomore at Riverdale High