"If I deserve something, why shouldn't I have it on my transcript?" he said.

Siemens also claims that the policy is not only unfair but was not made clear to students.

Kantrowitz cited signed state- ments from seven of the class' top 10 studentsin which the students claim they had no knowledgeof the policy.

"This was completely unbeknownst to virtuallyeveryone," Kantrowitz said in an interviewyesterday.

Siemens has already taken his complaint to theschool committee, which listened to arguments forand against a retroactive change in the policy.The committee voted on the matter in closedsession and tied 4-4.

This indecision, Kantrowitz said, has forcedSiemens to seek redress through the law.

"It was an internal matter, but by not reachinga decision, the Board of Education forced him togo to the courts," the attorney said.

Kantrowitz also said that the district had "nojustification for the process, and no one hasbeen able to articulate a justification for thisabortion of a formula."

Siemens is also confident about his chances incourt.

"You can argue about ideas in English andSocial Studies classes in high school, but when itcomes to math, there's only one answer," Siemenssaid.

Siemens said the issue is not a personal gripehe has with class valedictorian Shari Dickstein.In fact, Siemens and Dickstein have remainedclose, he said.

"She's one of my best friends, and always hasbeen, but I just felt that something has to bedone," Siemens said. "It's not about me and her,it's about me and the school district."

Dickstein could not be reached for commentyesterday.

When asked if he was looking forward to hisfirst year at Harvard, Siemens was quick toanswer:

"Oh, definitely. I can't wait.