Grad Nite celebration should be all-inclusive
I’ve worked at the alternative high school for a while now. I can remember before I started there, driving by and thinking it was some kind of minimum security high school.
So I can understand the misconception that people may have about the school and its students. But I can tell you that after 11 years of teaching there now, that these kids are some of the kindest people I’ve ever met. Yes, some of them can be a little rough around the edges, but can’t we all? Many of these kids have had challenges and obstacles to overcome in their lives that would have devastated many adults I know. So as teachers at Lake Pend Oreille High School, we tend to get a little protective of our students.
That was the case the other morning when we came to school. Four of our students had purchased tickets to the Grad Night celebration. Our students have always had the option to attend in the past but rarely had anyone chosen to. But these four students arrived on this particular morning to an envelope for them with the ticket money refund inside and a short note stating that the tickets were sold by mistake and that LPO seniors were not allowed to attend.
Surely, we thought this was a mistake and a call to the superintendent or SHS principal could straighten this all out. But, we were told by the administration that this is a parent-run event and it has nothing to do with the school. Doesn’t this have everything to do with the school? When we contacted the parents who organized the event we were given many reasons “why” our students were not allowed to attend.
1) It would jeopardize grant monies given to the event. I assume they are referring to a grant which gives money for presenting the mock DUI to the district seniors. A presentation in which two of our seniors portrayed the part of victims. Like the people who holds the purse strings of this grant wouldn’t want more seniors attending?
2) We were questioned as to how many credits our students had to earn as opposed to the high school. I’m not sure what this has to do with anything, but let me assure all parties involved that our diploma is no more and no less valid that the one given to the valedictorian at the high school.
3) They said that each person that attends Grad Night receives a bag worth $125 and since they weren’t involved in the planning they couldn’t attend. So was every SHS parent involved in the planning? Why has this become so much about money? Isn’t it suppose to be a fun, safe celebration?
4) They didn’t want to believe us that LPO had the option to attend in the past, they told us they had checked and only one student from LPO ever attended. As we told them, they had the option, most didn’t want to attend. They were also afraid that letting LPO attend would open the doors to the “home-schoolers.”
I had to ask myself, “why is the group of parents putting so much energy into keeping “four” students from attending? One even said that “there were other graduation parties they could attend.” Isn’t that the whole reason for Grad Night is to give the students a “safe and drug-free” option?”
I know that the parents who planned this party have worked tirelessly to present something their son or daughter will always remember and I applaud them for all their hard work and dedication. But, shouldn’t we try to make this an all-inclusive event and try to provide a safe and sober option for everyone? I’m sure the sponsors didn’t knowingly want to exclude anyone.
I know there are many misconceptions about Lake Pend Oreille High School but I would invite anyone who would like to find out for themselves to come by, get a visitor’s pass and visit a classroom. You’ll feel the positive, family environment as soon as you walk through the doors.
RANDY WILHELM
Sandpoint