A Proclamation by the Residents and Students of Okaloosa County Opposed to Final Exams

A petition to the Okaloosa County School Board, urging the School Board to repeal its decision of mandatory semester exams for all Okaloosa High School students in favor of a compromise policy.

WHEREAS, we, the undersigned, recognize that due to a set of uncontrollable and catastrophic events, the Okaloosa School Board made their decision to implement mandatory semester exams for all high school students with only a limited argument in opposition of the new policy, and

WHEREAS, we, the undersigned, recognize that while the Okaloosa School Board only had the best intentions for the scholastic futures of the high school students of Okaloosa County, we note that there was a serious flaw in judgment. And that the implementation of this new policy would only prove to be another unwanted, unneeded burden on the shoulders of Okaloosa County High School students throughout high school, that may in a greater perspective prove to be more harmful than helpful, and

WHEREAS, the previous system of exam exemptions has proven to be fully effective at producing the best and the brightest students in the state of Florida, who have in turn done tremendously well with College finals, and

WHEREAS, Okaloosa County high school students already have numerous major exams such as the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT), the FCAT Writes, the PSAT/NMSQT, SAT, as well as numerous subject-specific SAT IIs and also AP and IB tests (college finals in their own right) to take providing them with enough experience for future final exams, and

WHEREAS, Okaloosa County high school students are already under enough stress as it is, ranging from the typical ups and downs of teenage life; to living up to expectations from friends, family, and teachers; to worrying about passing other more important exams such as the FCAT or SAT; and also the rigors of extracurricular activities, and balancing a job with all that, and

WHEREAS, Okaloosa County high school students enrolled in Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate classes already must take a Final Comprehensive Exam at the end of the year to demonstrate proficiency in the subject of that class to gain college credit, and

WHEREAS, Okaloosa County high school students do not need another incentive to learn and retain information; that they already have a desire to learn, one reason, why our high school students are at the top of the state, NOW THEREFORE,

Be it resolved by the undersigned:

That the Okaloosa County School Board is requested to repeal its decision of mandatory semester exams for all Okaloosa High School students, in favor of a more compromising policy that would still allow exam exemptions to be given although in a more stringent fashion.
Such a policy that would allow semester exam exemptions to be given only to students who meet the following criteria:
1) The student maintains an A semester average or even an A in both nine week grading periods of that semester in the class,
2) The student does not exceed a maximum of 7 days of excused absences, and 2 tardies.

Another compromise solution acknowledged by the undersigned would allow exam exemptions to be given in all the classes of students enrolled in three or more Advanced Placement (AP) or International Baccalaureate (IB) classes that meet the above requirements.