Marlin High School reschedules graduation ceremony after only 5 of 33 seniors found eligible to graduate

MARLIN, Texas (KWTX) - UPDATE: Marlin High School on Wednesday announced its high school graduation will be rescheduled for June to give more than two dozen seniors more time to meet requirements to graduate.

KWTX recently learned 28 of 33 seniors at the school did not meet graduation requirements due to attendance or grades.

The school district announced a mandatory senior parent meeting at 6:30 p.m. at Marlin High School.

LIVESTREAM OF MEETING:

ORIGINAL ARTICLE:

The date of graduation for Marlin High School seniors remains up in the air after the district found a majority of them did not meet graduation requirements.

On Tuesday afternoon Marlin ISD told parents that the previously scheduled graduation practice will take place as planned on Wednesday. However, they have not yet made a decision on whether to move the scheduled Thursday graduation.

According to an audit from the district, only five out of the 33 Marlin High School seniors are eligible to graduate. The audit found that a majority of the Class of 2023 either didn’t complete or failed a required course, or had too many absences.

”They’re saying that I’m missing an elective class, but with that I don’t understand because in 9th grade I took a typing class,” senior C’ijah Williams said.

Seniors Praiyer Jones and Alondra Alvarado are among the five that the district says met graduation eligibility requirements.

”They told us that because of the students that didn’t meet the requirements it wouldn’t be fair for only five students to walk the stage,” Alvarado said.

Senior Salvador Guerro is one of the 28 seniors who was told he is not eligible to graduate, hearing the news just days before the previously scheduled graduation.

”I get a phone call and he’s like your son will not be graduating,” his mother Victoria Banda said.

His family is coming in from outside the country and purchasing airline tickets just to attend his graduation.

”We have family traveling in from Mexico and if anyone knows it’s not cheap,” Banda said.

Guerrero learned last week that he needs to complete the STAAR test for an online US History course, but the test can’t be administered until the summer.

”It’s a bag of emotions, anxiety and a bit of disappointment,” Guerrero said.

His classmate, Williams, who was also told she did not meet requirements, is now scrambling to complete entire courses in just a handful of days.

”It’s going to be really tough and it’s time consuming,” she said.

Marlin ISD superintendent Dr. Darryl Henson released the following statement to KWTX:

”We have not made a final decision on whether we will postpone graduation. We are allowing students up until the last day to make up hours, turn in missing assignments and fix their assignments. Texas has clear graduation requirements and Marlin ISD will be in compliance with the guidance.”

Seniors and their parents will be required to attend a meeting on Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. in the Marlin High School Library. At the meeting the district will present the findings of a new audit to determine if more seniors meet the requirements. Officials will announce their final decision based on those findings.

Copyright 2023 KWTX. All rights reserved.