CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- The principal of Myers Park High School sent e-mails Thursday to parents warning them about an unflattering article in next week's issue of Time magazine.

The article claims that from 2002 to 2005, Myers Park had "an unofficial policy of ridding itself of underperforming students."

It suggests that the school did so to keep up test score averages and meet state and federal guidelines.

Time says to protect its graduation rate, the school was "reporting that students who dropped out had instead transferred out of the district."

The school, which is one of Charlotte's oldest and most highly regarded, is a North Carolina School of Distinction, and it often tops the district in scores for standardized tests and advanced placement classes.

Parents who talked Thursday evening with Channel 9 Eyewitness News said they were surprised to hear the allegations.

CMS officials said they are investigating the allegations, which they found out about last August. The investigation has two parts: were at-risk students pushed out and did the school properly keep records of those students.

"We are committed to discovering the truth and will do whatever we need to do to make sure we're supporting our students at Myers Park High School and across the district," said CMS Superintendent Peter Gorman.

School officials said the investigation will wrap up next month. Any punishment will be determined at that time.

Read the Time article online.