Melissa Mejia, 18, was stunned and embarrassed when officials at William Cullen Bryant High School in Long Island City, Queens, told her she had met all the requirements to receive a diploma in June. She knew she hadn’t. Teachers say Melissa is just one of a number of students magically given credits for classes they failed in an effort by administrators to raise Bryant’s graduation rate. She told her story to The Post’s Susan Edelman.
I don’t like receiving what I would call a handout, but that’s what happened.
New York City gave me a diploma I didn’t deserve.
It may seem odd that I’m speaking up, but it’s only because I’m fully aware I didn’t deserve to pass a course that allowed me to graduate.
In my last semester at Bryant High School, I had Government for first period, which starts at 8 a.m.
I had a lot of trouble getting up in the morning. I didn’t really go at all. I think I showed up about five times in the first marking period. In the second marking period, my attendance was also poor. I got a 55 for both, an “F.”
My teacher saw me in the hall and pulled me aside. She told me, “In the third marking period, if you come in every day and do all your work, I will pass you.”
I showed up about 10 days maximum the third marking period. It was only about a month long, because of senior activities. I did the makeup worksheets she gave me, but I never turned them in since my teacher was out at the end. We had a substitute.
I was absent for the final exam on Thursday, and absent for the makeup final on Friday.
On Monday, I went to speak with my guidance counselor, Mr. Ortiz.
I’m fully aware I didn’t deserve to pass a course that allowed me to graduate.
- Melissa Mejia
I explained everything. I told him I was absent and needed to do my final.
He wrote an email to the assistant principal, explaining my situation. He told her I needed to make up some kind of work and make up my final to pass the class.
He gave the assistant principal my name, phone number and email address.
“She’s going to contact you by the end of the day,” he said. “She’ll let you know what days to come in, and what day to make up your final.”
I never got a call or an email. It was Regents week, so there were no classes.
I waited, and I never got contacted back.
On Thursday, I emailed him:
“Good afternoon Mr. Ortiz, it’s Melissa Mejia. I never got contacted to take the final, I would like to know what’s going on. I need my Government credit to graduate.”
He replied: “Melissa you passed Government. I thought your teacher called you. She gave you a 65. Congrats!”
I asked about a note informing me that I was enrolled in summer school.
He answered, “Summer school is programmed by using the second marking period grade and you were probably failing the course at that time. However, you are removed from the class if you passed it. If you have a diploma you definitely do not have summer school because you graduated.”
That was weird, I thought. My teacher is very strict. She doesn’t give a passing grade if you don’t deserve it. I felt she would at least try to teach me a lesson.
I wouldn’t have minded going to summer school. I know that’s what I should have done.
Everything has a consequence. Even though I never got that consequence, I was worried about it.
I went back to the same counselor and asked, “Are you sure I passed? It doesn’t make sense to me.”
He said, “Well, you got your diploma, so you passed.”
I do think it was unfair. I don’t deserve it.