Radnor report to revisit high school grade changes

Philadelphia Inquirer, The, June, 2007 by Dan Hardy Inquirer Staff Writer

A contentious debate over grade changes at Radnor High School will be reopened this week by a report to the school board that is expected to affirm a physical education grade change made last fall for the daughter of Radnor Township Commissioner Lisa Paolino.

Teachers erupted in anger when they discovered earlier this year that principal Joseph Cannella had changed three grades for another student with the approval of superintendent Gary Cooper and without the knowledge of the teachers involved.

The teachers and their union called for an investigation, saying they had lost faith in the administration.

District officials have since reviewed both grade changes. Paolino's daughter's was upheld. The three changes for the other student, a male senior, were overturned, district officials said.

Paolino said in interviews last week that her daughter received the grade change because of a medical problem. "There was no political ...