Fact or Fiction: Report Cards "are never withheld"

On September 22, 2008, MCPS "staff" told the Board of Education Fiscal Management Committee the following during a discussion of illegal curricular fees that are charged to MCPS students:

"The committee was told that some unpaid fees that are written up as obligations but was assured that transcripts and student records are never withheld for any unpaid obligations."

But, MCPS' own regulation allows report cards to be withheld:

"Principals may withhold the sending of report cards or other records if the student has an outstanding obligation to the school."

And parents have received notices and letters from their schools stating that report cards are being held. Montgomery Blair's Parents Handbook makes the practice very clear:

School; diplomas and/or transcripts will be held until all financial obligations are met. In addition, seniors who have not cleared alloutstanding obligations will not be permitted to participate in the prom.

Blair's Financial office was quoted in Silver Chips as saying,

"Withholding a diploma for obligations does happen..."

And this blog has posted a demand letter from Magruder High School detailing that if a curricular fee is not paid the student's diploma will be withheld.

It is a FACT, MCPS administrators do withhold report cards, transcripts and diplomas from students who have not paid illegal curricular fees.