Toledo woman finds out she was half a credit short from graduating high school, 16 years after attending the ceremony

TOLEDO, Ohio (WTVG) - It was back in 2007 when she says she walked across the big stage to receive her diploma from Scott High School, but Victoria Tatum says just a few months ago, Toledo Public Schools (TPS) informed her she never actually graduated from high school.

Although Tatum says she lost the hard copy of her diploma in a natural disaster, she says she still has proof of it, a blurry picture from the ceremony. She says she only figured it out after trying to apply for some college classes.

“It’s like a slap in the face for my mom and dad because she worked hard to get her kids to graduate. That was her one dying wish before she left this earth,” said Tatum. “I’ve been trying to do this for three years and I finally got my answer in June saying like “Hey, yeah, you never graduated from our school,”” Tatum said.

13 Action News asked a spokesperson for TPS how this could have happened. They claimed they have no records stating Tatum was part of any graduation ceremony, but records do show she was a half credit short from graduating.

That is still not good enough for TPS or any college she is hoping to get into, though, according to Tatum.

“It’s not my fault. I did nothing but come to school, learn, get my diploma, and go off to college to better myself,” said Tatum. “I want to continue to better myself, but they’re holding me back, and I don’t appreciate that. I don’t and I need them to fix that.”

She says TPS suggested getting her GED, but she does not think that is fair. Tatum is hoping this can somehow get resolved soon and she can move on with her life.

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