Will Jonathan Graduate?

His D.C. High School Needs an Overhaul of Attitudes, Academics and Expectations. He Needs Three Credits.

By Lonnae O'Neal Parker
Washington Post

No one remembers why Kathryne Lewis called Principal L. Nelson Burton that afternoon. It was something about one of her son's teachers, but by spring her calls to Calvin Coolidge Senior High School had begun to run together.

Burton just remembers that he wanted to resolve whatever it was immediately. He sent a student to pull Jonathan out of English class, but Jonathan wasn't there. Lewis text-messaged her son's cellphone. Where are you? she asked.

In class, came Jonathan's reply.

Burton went to see for himself, then called Lewis back. She sent her son another message: Wherever you are, get back to school!

They had dealt with this last year after Jonathan failed to graduate. "I messed up, Ma," Jonathan had said. He had been cutting classes to roam the halls and hang out with friends. He and his mother had sat in Burton's office promising he would do better.

But Lewis found herself planted there again and again: Jonathan was failing algebra -- could he be moved to a different class? Why didn't she get a warning note when he was failing geography?

Still, most of her frustration was with her son. Inside Burton's office, crowded with students and parents, she snapped at him for claiming never to know when his assignments were due.

"I can't deal with this," Jonathan snapped back, abruptly walking out.

"You can't deal with what?" his mother yelled after him. "You can't deal with my hand upside your head this evening? I don't care if I have to come up here every week. You're going to graduate.

(Continued here.)