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Students and parents demand reinstatement of class rank and valedictorian; board cites prior process and limited votes to reopen issue
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Summary
Multiple students, parents and community members urged the Connellsville Area School District to reinstate class rank or recognize top graduates; speakers cited a petition and procedural concerns while board members said many colleges do not require class rank and noted structural limits on reintroducing the item.
Scores of speakers used the non-agenda public-comment period to press the board to revisit the district’s November 2023 decision to eliminate class rank and valedictorian recognition.
Jody Mangus told the board she and other taxpayers are disappointed and said petition organizers collected more than 1,175 signatures asking the board to reconsider. ‘‘We deserve transparency, respect, and action,’’ Mangus said, urging the board to restore recognition for top students.
Student Ally Krishner, who chairs JROTC leadership for her school, said students value recognition for top achievement and asked the district to survey families before finalizing such changes. Roman, a speaker identified as a student-athlete advocate, and other students argued that valedictorian status honors years of consistent effort and should not be removed.
Sony Bentley alleged the board used a rushed process in November 2023, saying the agenda item to eliminate class rank was posted 24 hours before the vote and suggesting the timing limited public participation. Bentley said the board’s refusal to place the topic back on an agenda has left the community frustrated and questioning transparency.
Board members responded in part by describing the research and process behind the change. A board representative said guidance counselors contacted eight colleges (Penn State, Pitt, West Virginia, IUP, Robert Morris, St. Vincent, Allegheny, and PennWest) and were told those institutions do not require class rank for admissions; the board member said admissions and scholarship decisions focus on GPA, test scores and other factors. One board member told the public that fewer than five members currently favor reintroducing the item to the agenda, meaning the board could not force a reconsideration without additional support.
Speakers asked the board to consider compromises such as announcing the top five graduates even if formal class rank is not restored. The board did not vote to change its policy at the meeting; members said any reconsideration would follow normal agenda and voting procedures.
