School & District Management A State Capitals Roundup

N.C. Judge Cites ‘Academic Genocide’ in Report on High Schools

By Kathleen Kennedy Manzo — June 07, 2005 1 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print

The judge in the long-running North Carolina school finance lawsuit has issued a critical report on high schools in the state, highlighting what he called “academic genocide” in several secondary schools in its largest district.

Wake County Superior Court Judge Howard E. Manning Jr. described what he views as “the high school problem” last month in a 45-page analysis of test scores, trends, and comparisons between similar schools across districts.

“Put any spin on it you want, the raw data on high school performance on the [state accountability index] is not good,” he wrote in the May 24 report.

In the 121,000-student Charlotte-Mecklenburg school district, he wrote, there has been little progress in raising achievement among minority students. “The bottom line,” he said, “is that there is no excuse for these high schools (or for that matter any high schools anywhere in North Carolina with similar disaggregated data and composite scores) to be so academically in the ditch year after year.”

James Pughsley, the superintendent in Charlotte-Mecklenburg, said he agrees that more work needs to be done, but he believes that the judge’s characterization was inaccurate. “It is harsh terminology, used for its shock value,” he said. He added that the district has been working to improve high schools, all but two of which have been recognized in national rankings for the number of students taking Advanced Placement courses.

The judge, who has not issued a final ruling in the 11-year-old finance case, has ordered the state to provide more resources to its neediest districts and to report regularly to the court on the steps being taken to mitigate inequities.

Related Tags:

Events

Artificial Intelligence K-12 Essentials Forum How AI Use Is Expanding in K-12 Schools
Join this free virtual event to explore how AI technology is—and is not—improving K-12 teaching and learning.
Federal Webinar The Trump Budget and Schools: Subscriber Exclusive Quick Hit
EdWeek subscribers, join this 30-minute webinar to find out what the latest federal policy changes mean for K-12 education.
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Curriculum Webinar
End Student Boredom: K-12 Publisher's Guide to 70% Engagement Boost
Calling all K-12 Publishers! Student engagement flatlining? Learn how to boost it by up to 70%.
Content provided by KITABOO

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
View Jobs
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
View Jobs
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
View Jobs
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.
View Jobs

Read Next

School & District Management How Principals Can Boost Teacher Morale
Principals share advice for how they support teachers during uncertain times.
4 min read
Vector illustration of a large handing holding an open book with silhouetted women and men standing on the pages of the open book.
iStock/Getty
School & District Management Opinion Denver Superintendent: Why We Sued the Federal Government
Education leaders shouldn't remain apolitical in the face of immigration enforcement changes and other threats from the Trump administration.
Alex Marrero
6 min read
Human hands created secure environment for children via home roof gesture. Adults taking care of vulnerable students.
Mary Long/iStock + Education Week
School & District Management Food and Massage Coupons: How Principals Signal Their Appreciation for Teachers
Small gestures can go a long way this Teacher Appreciation Week.
5 min read
Image of a notebook page with "THANK YOU TEACHER" written with some doodles and smiley faces.
iStock/Getty
School & District Management Opinion How to Be a Focused Leader When There’s a Lot of Noise
Burnout, attrition, absenteeism, and disengagement are key issues for schools. Here's a path forward for educators.
3 min read
Screen Shot 2025 04 29 at 6.54.09 AM
Canva