SLED asked investigating Beaufort grade changing

BEAUFORT, S.C. (AP) — The State Law Enforcement Division is investigating the changing of 200 grades at Beaufort High School.

The Beaufort Gazette reports (http://bit.ly/w0NvES) principal Dan Durbin resigned last month after admitting he changed grades for 33 students.

Beaufort County school officials referred the matter to the local prosecutor, who asked SLED to investigate. SLED spokeswoman Kathryn Richardson confirmed the investigation but would not elaborate.

School superintendent Valerie Truesdale has said the changes could be illegal.

Durbin would not comment. He has said he changed the grades to motivate students to stay in school. He said some students had missing grades from previous years but had passed upper-level courses. Durbin has said changing the grades allowed those students to continue toward graduation.

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Information from: The Beaufort Gazette, http://www.beaufortgazette.com