Memorial Day the wrong day for commencement
This morning, Memorial Day, I attended the wreath laying ceremony at the Wisconsin Veterans Home in King. It was a beautiful tribute to our fallen.
The high school students who were selected to Badger Boys and Girls State along with the Waupaca Middle School Band who preformed patriotic songs admirably represented the Waupaca School District. The lesson taught year after year at these functions is that Memorial Day is a day of remembrance and that as we celebrate with our families we should remember why we have these freedoms.
The high school students, who were also band members, had to rush off after the ceremony in time to play for graduation. I am not sure when or why the Waupaca School Board determined that Memorial Day was an acceptable day for graduation but I for one coming from a military family am offended and more importantly concerned.
Would you couple graduation with Christmas or Easter because it is convenient? Memorial Day is a federal holiday and should be treated as such. If you choose to hold graduation over the Memorial Day weekend, so be it, but please let's keep Monday, Memorial Day and Memorial Day only.
We try to teach our children that both graduation and Memorial Day are very important. Let's not minimize either by squeezing them into one day.
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5 Comments for "Memorial Day the wrong day for commencement "
independenthinker Jun 06, 2012 12:52 PM
Institutionalized arrogance.
lastpercentile Jun 06, 2012 3:02 PM
Don't blame the school board. I'm willing to blame them for plenty :D but most likely this one is not them, but parents.
Over the years, graduation has been changed to different dates because a few parents want it that way. My kid is in this or going to this, so we need to change graduation for one child or two or three. I've seen it happen more than once.
It's the old saying, "The squeaky wheel gets the oil." So if you feel strongly about it, start squeaking and start squeaking early. Don't wait til April. Start this summer or early fall.
katylady Jun 13, 2012 6:56 PM
And, apparently these kids are not involved in Memorial Day activities, because their parents lack the proper respect for the day and the military lives sacrificed - which they probably adopted from their parents and are now passing on to their children.
With the endorsement of the school administrators. No - they don't get a pass. Parents aren't required to do the right thing. School administrators should be expected to make the right decision. For that matter, it should not have been a decision at all.
lastpercentile Jun 13, 2012 8:31 PM
JustBecause Jun 14, 2012 12:04 PM