COLUMBIA, S.C. — The State Education Department confirmed it has conducted an audit of Lexington District Two.
The department was alerted to issues of grades being changed and decided to inspect the district.
After hearing the news about the audit, Brookland-Cayce High School alum, Annie Summers says she was not surprised.
"I witnessed people getting passing grades for putting in little to no effort," Summers said. "For example, there were students that would skip class constantly, always late, never turning in work on time, and the teachers would make it obvious that they weren't doing what they were supposed to be doing. Somehow they were always passed and moving onto the next grade with me."
Summers graduated in 2017 and says there were several things that raised concerns in her years at the high school.
"In my sophomore year, a teacher was talking about our graduation rates and how staff really pushed them to make sure everyone was passing. I didn't really connect the dots until now," Summers explained.
We reached out to Lexington Two for an interview on the alleged grade changes, and were told that no one could speak on the matter.
However, they did send a statement:
“In Lexington School District Two, students are our first priority. We are committed to their success and being transparent with our community about circumstances involving our students. To that end, the District received a letter from the S.C. Department of Education about student data and procedures related to student records. While the District cannot comment on matters concerning any individual student(s), the District has and continues to cooperate with the Department of Education regarding the general concerns outlined by the Department. We will ensure that any and all measures are taken to address challenges and identify opportunities moving forward. We are appreciative to our students and families and encourage any with specific questions to direct those to their principals."
The State Education Department is sending News 19 a copy of the audit and their completed report on Thursday. We will continue to keep you updated on this story as it unfolds.
