Lori Stern

And the odds were not in Walt's favor.

More than a third of kids with the EBD label don't finish high school with a regular diploma.

Their dropout rate is twice as high as it is for all students with disabilities.

Walt was behind.

he was missing half of the credits he needed to graduate.

I asked Walt if I could tag along with my microphone for his senior year, and he said yes.

How come you want to do this with me?

Well, I went to his classroom.

I talked to his teacher, Mr. K. I talked to Walt outside the classroom a few times, and he and I texted back and forth.

And the theme, more than anything, he kept telling me he just wanted to graduate with his class.

That's right.

And then, Aisha, in November of his first semester, I saw this other side of Walt.

That doesn't sound good.

It wasn't.

So picture this.

Mr. K was about to start a social studies class when Walt stepped out for a bathroom break.

There was a commotion outside in the hallway.

Then Walt and this other teacher I'd never seen before came into class yelling at each other.

Mr. K shot up from his desk and got in between them.

Walt was worked up because this teacher, Mr. Humphrey, had accused him of smoking in the bathroom.