Clayton Students Vent Fears, Anger ATLANTA, GA (WABE) - On a day when they should have been relaxing at home during spring break, dozens of Clayton County students rallied outside the school administration complex in Jonesboro, to vent their frustrations.

They're worried and angry about the possibility of their schools' losing accreditation, and blame school board members.

WABE's Odette Yousef reports.

CHANTERS: Failure's not an option! Failure's not an option!

The students' sentiment was best summarized in a poem written by Jonesboro High School junior Chelsea Bivins:

BIVINS: My teachers are on top, we can't put the blame in their laps. Why's it the students that have to take the dirty rap?

Bivins wants to be senior class president and prom queen, and graduate with her friends, but says she can't if she has to change schools.

Morrow High sophomore Akilah Williams had plans to join her school's step team and yearbook staff next year:

WILLIAMS: All of that could be gone in the blink of an eye, just because some adults wanted to act like children.

Some students called on board members to resign, but not all North Clayton High school sophomore Brionna June said if she could talk to board members, she'd say:

JUNE: Y'all need to get it right, get it together. I mean, I'm not trying to tell you you need to lose your job, I'm not saying you need to resign, but if you're gonna be on the board, if you're gonna be considered as a community leader, you have to do what you have to do.

Clayton County's schools have until September first to meet nine mandates by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, or lose their accreditation.

Odette Yousef, WABE News.
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