need to know
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Washington High School graduate Makena Simonsen claims she graduated with a 3.87 GPA despite reading at a first-grade level as a senior
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Simonson and her family file lawsuit against Edmonds School District for “improper education” and “bona fide discrimination”
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In the complaint, her attorneys argued that the school district denied her “the opportunity to graduate with a meaningful diploma” and left her unprepared for “postsecondary education, gainful employment, or citizenship.”
A Washington high school graduate is suing her former school district, claiming it awarded her a “meaningless” diploma.
Makena Simonsen, who attended Lynwood High School in Bothell, recalls celebrating a hopeful graduation day. “I was so happy. I was like, ‘Oh my God, I finally made it!'” she told local outlet KING 5 News.
However, she said her excitement quickly wore off. Simonson, who has an intellectual disability and has been in a special education program since elementary school, graduated in June 2022 with a 3.87 GPA despite reading at a first-grade level as a senior.
She originally planned to participate in the Edmonds School District’s free vocational program, which helps students with special needs transition to independent living, but found she was ineligible because she earned a regular high school diploma.
Instead, Simonson must attend Bellevue College’s career and life skills program, which costs more than $40,000 a year, including her tuition, room and board and living expenses.
When asked if she was ready for life after graduation, the 22-year-old told KING 5, “Not at all. I deserve a diploma, not just something that’s going to get me nowhere.”
Simonson and her family have since filed a lawsuit against the Edmonds School District in Snohomish County Superior Court, alleging “inappropriate education” and “bona fide discrimination.”
In the complaint obtained by PEOPLE, Simonson’s attorneys said Simonson was “unable to read, write, or do math above an elementary level” when he graduated from Lynwood High School in 2022.
“The District has caused substantial harm to Ms. Simonson by failing to provide Ms. Simonson with basic educational opportunities that fully meet state and district standards and deciding to award her a diploma on that basis, thereby cutting off any transitional supports,” her attorneys argued in the complaint.
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They claim the district “pushed” Simonson through the system and gave her “perfect grades along the way” even though she had “little to no understanding of the material.”
The complaint says she got an A or A-minus in math class but couldn’t tell “how many quarters, 5 cents or 10 cents there are in a dollar.”
“Simply put, Ms. Simonson was denied the opportunity to graduate with a meaningful diploma. Her education did not prepare her for higher education, gainful employment, or citizenship,” her attorneys argue in the complaint.
Simonson’s attorney, Lara Hruska of Cedar Law School in Seattle, said in a statement to PEOPLE that “it’s frustrating that earning a high school diploma effectively closed the door for Makena instead of opening it. The school district should have delayed awarding her diploma so that she could receive transition services through special education to prepare for life in the real world.”
“We believe this is a statewide issue in Washington state: students with disabilities have their Individualized Education Plans [Individualized Education Program] When the district awards a regular high school diploma, services are cut off prematurely, which is not at all what it’s supposed to mean,” Hruska continued. “It’s a disservice to Makena and it’s a disservice to all Edmonds students who graduate regularly because it really hurts the value of that diploma. “
PEOPLE reached out to the Edmonds School District for comment.
In a court filing obtained by PEOPLE, the school district denies failing to provide Simonson with the basic education she deserved. The district said her general education classes met state standards and argued the case should be dismissed.
Simonson is currently in her junior year at Bellevue College, and according to KING 5, she will face up to $160,000 in student debt after graduation. She told the outlet she was now “actually earning” her grades and had a positive outlook on her future.
“I feel better about my future now than I did in high school,” she said. “I’m passionate about it.”
Read the original article on People
