Kennedy condemns proposal to lower graduation standards for Louisiana students
On 10/19/2023, Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) criticized the Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) for proposing lower graduation standards for high school students in Louisiana. Under the new standards, students would be eligible to graduate even if they fail the state’s Graduate Exit Exam several times.
“This is a massive step back. This is an announcement to the rest of America that Louisiana has given up, that our kids are not smart enough, they’re not good enough—even when we give them second or third chances to be able to get a ‘D’ on the Graduate Exit Examination. As a result, we have got to give them a special extra points project so they can get a diploma that’s not really a diploma.
“The people behind this ought to hide their heads in a bag. Our kids are better than that. Every one of my kids in Louisiana can learn. Sometimes they need a little bit longer, but it’s not going to do them any good to give them a diploma that they can’t read.”
“This rule change is going in front of the Louisiana legislature for an oversight hearing in the Senate Education Committee and the House Education Committee. I hope that either the Senate or the House—and hopefully both—will say no.”
Kennedy argues that giving students second or third chances to pass the exam and then offering them a special project to earn a diploma that they cannot truly read is not the solution. He firmly stated, “Our kids are better than that.”
The senator emphasized that every child in Louisiana is capable of learning, even if they need a little more time. However, he believes that giving them a diploma they cannot read will not benefit them in any way. Kennedy expressed his disappointment in the people behind this proposal, stating, “The people behind this ought to hide their heads in a bag.”
Kennedy also informed that the rule change is going to be discussed in an oversight hearing in both the Senate Education Committee and the House Education Committee in the Louisiana legislature. He expressed hope that either the Senate or the House, or both, will reject the proposed changes.
It is clear that Kennedy strongly opposes the proposition to lower graduation standards in Louisiana. He firmly believes that the students in the state are capable of achieving high standards and should not be given a diploma that does not truly reflect their abilities. The senator’s remarks highlight his commitment to ensuring that the education system in Louisiana maintains rigorous standards for the benefit of its students.
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Kennedy: people behind this ought to hide their heads in a bag, only a ‘D’ on the Graduate Exam