by SEAN KIMMONS
A high school graduation is the culmination of 13 years work in the classroom. It is a joyous occasion filled with proud spectators in the stands, and perhaps an inflatable beach ball and noisemakers from the departing seniors.
Not this year. Hays High School is tightening its grip on what officials deem to be inappropriate behavior, setting new rules and restricting photo opportunities for its graduation this Thursday.
Every senior at Hays High had to sign a “Student Commencement Participation Commitment” to prevent misconduct and distractions in the ceremony. School officials enforce the commitment by inspecting students for contraband. Lehman and Academy high schools require no such contract.
“Walking the stage at graduation is a privilege,” the commitment states. “Those in violation will NOT be allowed to participate.”
The father of a Hays High senior voiced his concern, saying that students will be treated unfairly on their special night.
“This is ridiculous,” parent Keith Stover said of the security move. “You treat them like criminals on their graduation night.”
Stover’s daughter was told seniors could only carry one key on their key ring during the ceremony. Other personal items would be placed into a secured box. School officials say this procedure prevents students from being disruptive.
Hays High also made its two-hour graduation rehearsal on Tuesday mandatory for all graduating seniors. If a student failed to show up, they wouldn’t walk across the stage.
“Graduation practice is mandatory this year,” Hays Principal David Pierce said in a letter to seniors and parents. “If a student does not attend practice, he/she won’t be able to participate in the ceremony.”
Hays senior Derek Lappe was informed by school officials that he couldn’t walk across the stage since he wouldn’t be at rehearsal. Instead, he had a paramedic certification class at Austin Community College.
“It really upset me,” Lappe said. “They said that there was nothing that they could do.”
About a week later, after appeals went all the way up to the superintendent, school officials buckled and will allow Lappe to participate in the ceremony.
Hays CISD spokesperson Julie Jerome said if students have good reason to miss the rehearsal, such as attending college courses, they still will be permitted in the procession. Mandatory rehearsal is also in place at Academy High School, but not at Lehman, where seniors are simply expected to attend rehearsal.
In addition, a memorandum advised parents to stay off the field at Bob Shelton Stadium when taking photographs of the ceremonies. The Hays and Lehman ceremonies take place at 8 p.m. on the football field, about one hundred feet from the stands, making it almost impossible to get a decent shot in the dusk light.
Stover says that parents have no choice but to pay Flash Photography, who has permission to take the photos of graduates. In consolation, school officials allow parents on the field during the rehearsals.
“Did you take your wedding photos during your rehearsal?” Stover said. “Of course not, they were taken during the wedding.”
He plans to protest the rules by letting his daughter skip one day of class. When a student is absent, the school doesn’t obtain attendance dollars for that student.
“If we take a few attendance dollars from [the school’s] pocket, maybe it will have an impact,” he said.
2010 Hays CISD High School Graduations:
• Hays High School: June 3 at 8 p.m. at Bob Shelton Stadium
• Lehman High School: June 4 at 8 p.m. at Bob Shelton Stadium
• Academy High School: June 5 at 2 p.m. at the Hays Performing Arts Center
All graduation ceremonies will be streamed live in real time for the first time this year at http://channel.vbrick.com/hays/Index.aspx. If you do not have the Microsoft Silverlight player on your computer, you will be prompted to download it.
