Stop the Steal in West Point, MS
The Issue
Ikeria Washington and Layla Temple were name Valedictorian and Salutatorian of the West Point High School Class of 2021. Three days later, they learned through a Facebook Post that Superintendent Burnell McDonald had taken their honors and awarded them to two white students with lower GPAs.
The superintendent explained on the district’s Facebook page that a statement on page 10 of the student handbook guided his decision to award the other two students the titles. According to McDonald, “a student’s ranking should be determined by GPA, however, at Senior Awards Day on Monday, May 24, 2021, the the two students who were recognized as Valedictorian and Salutatorian did not have the highest GPA. Instead, these two students have the highest QPA.”
Needless to say, the entire WPCSD Facebook Page including this post has since been taken down. Mr. McDonald contends that although Ikeria and Layla took the more rigorous AP and College-level courses through dual enrollment, he had to strip them of their titles because two other students earned higher numerical averages through easier coursework, which is absurd.
We content that Superintendent McDonald was not motivated by any policy, but by the demands of the parents of Dominic and Emma who wanted the top honors for their children. Dominic and Emma’s parents used their white privilege and political stature in the community to marginalize Ikeria and Layla’s achievements and steal their honors for their own kids. Superintendent McDonald cowered to these angry white parents who wanted honors their kids simply did not earn.
To add insult to injury, when Ikeria and Layla’s parents met with Mr. McDonald just hours before graduation, he told them that their kids were NOT the real Valedictorian and Salutatorian but he would allow them to do their speeches as a courtesy. One of the white parents confirmed on social media that she “told” Mr. McDonald to “let” Ikeria and Layla participate in the graduation festivities.
Ikeria and Layla have been humiliated by the West Point Consolidated School District and Mr. Burnell McDonald for excelling academically while being black. This should not stand!
Ikeria and Layla are demanding to be named Sole Valedictorian and Sole Salutatorian of the West Point High School Class of 2021.
The Issue
Ikeria Washington and Layla Temple were name Valedictorian and Salutatorian of the West Point High School Class of 2021. Three days later, they learned through a Facebook Post that Superintendent Burnell McDonald had taken their honors and awarded them to two white students with lower GPAs.
The superintendent explained on the district’s Facebook page that a statement on page 10 of the student handbook guided his decision to award the other two students the titles. According to McDonald, “a student’s ranking should be determined by GPA, however, at Senior Awards Day on Monday, May 24, 2021, the the two students who were recognized as Valedictorian and Salutatorian did not have the highest GPA. Instead, these two students have the highest QPA.”
Needless to say, the entire WPCSD Facebook Page including this post has since been taken down. Mr. McDonald contends that although Ikeria and Layla took the more rigorous AP and College-level courses through dual enrollment, he had to strip them of their titles because two other students earned higher numerical averages through easier coursework, which is absurd.
We content that Superintendent McDonald was not motivated by any policy, but by the demands of the parents of Dominic and Emma who wanted the top honors for their children. Dominic and Emma’s parents used their white privilege and political stature in the community to marginalize Ikeria and Layla’s achievements and steal their honors for their own kids. Superintendent McDonald cowered to these angry white parents who wanted honors their kids simply did not earn.
To add insult to injury, when Ikeria and Layla’s parents met with Mr. McDonald just hours before graduation, he told them that their kids were NOT the real Valedictorian and Salutatorian but he would allow them to do their speeches as a courtesy. One of the white parents confirmed on social media that she “told” Mr. McDonald to “let” Ikeria and Layla participate in the graduation festivities.
Ikeria and Layla have been humiliated by the West Point Consolidated School District and Mr. Burnell McDonald for excelling academically while being black. This should not stand!
Ikeria and Layla are demanding to be named Sole Valedictorian and Sole Salutatorian of the West Point High School Class of 2021.
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Petition created on June 12, 2021