Gainesville school board to vote on co-valedictorians

GAINESVILLE - Gainesville's School Board and its superintendent heard demands for fairness and justice Tuesday night for honor student Cody Stephens as they looked to the Board for a decision on making Stephens Gainesville High's sole valedictorian.

School Board chairman Willie Mitchell told the crowd in the Gainesville Elementary School auditorium they could expect that decision by next Monday or Tuesday during a called meeting. Stephens' mother Valerie was the first of many speakers demanding an answer.

"This situation of having co-valedictorians has gotten completely out of hand," she said. "Why is it so hard to make the right decision? What or who is influencing the Gainesville City School System to not follow the procedure that they put in place themselves?"

Stephens went on to tell the Board that the leader in place at the school could not make clear decisions and wanted the board to discharge him.

"The question is what is the true motive behind his decision," Stephens added. "Clearly the leader of Gainesville High School is no longer capable of holding this position. This leader needs to be fired immediately and removed right now."

Principal Chris Mance has had no comment about the issue, stating it involves confidential school records.

Ministers, Gainesville High alumni and parents, and Atlanta area Civil Rights leaders all asked the same question, why, and what will be done about it?

Reverend Charles Dickey from Saint John's AME Church in Gainesville told board members it's a matter of simple math; Stephens has the school's highest grade point average at over 4.7, so he should be the sole valedictorian and not share the honor.

"The right thing to do is do the math," Dickey said."4.7538 is what it is; anything less than that is what it is."

NAACP District Coordinator Johnny Smith told board members if they cannot decide in favor of Stephens, they should step down.

"If you do not follow your own rules,every board member and everybody in this system should resign if you're not going to take care of the children," Smith said.