A Citizen’s Request to the Cleveland County School Board– Please Let us have a Traditional Graduation for our Students —Forwarded by Robert A. Williams

From: Martha Blanton
To: All Cleveland County School Board Members and the Shelby Star
Subject: Graduation 2020, a Request for a Traditional Graduation Ceremony

Chairman Miller,

I am writing on behalf of numerous students, parents, grandparents, and friends of the class of 2020. I am requesting that you as Chairman request a special board meeting to discuss having a traditional graduation ceremony for our seniors. As you are aware, these students have worked so hard to get to this point and to deny them the same type graduation as all other classes prior to them is just not right.

I hope that you and the other board members priority are the students in our schools. Many students are hurting because they feel they are not getting what they deserve. I watched the school board meeting online and I never saw any discussing about graduation then all of a sudden, I was told how it was going to be. Did the board not discuss how graduation would occur? All we are asking is for you to call this special meeting and discuss having a “traditional graduation”. If the board votes it down then so be it we move on. We elect them and we can handle that at the polls. As it looks now it appears you made a behind the scene decision with no board input. If this is what was done this is simply dictatorship!! Again, all we are asking is you call for a special meeting and let the people we elected decide.

Other districts across the State are having traditional graduations. Why can’t Cleveland County? X’s or tape could mark a 6 ft. separation for people. I am sure many parents and students would volunteer to apply these x’s. It can be done and we all know it can.

I am requesting each board member to email Chairman Miller and request this special meeting. I would ask each of you to carbon copy myself in the email. We plan on taking a full-page ad out in the paper and shopper and we want to identify all those who requested a special meeting and those who didn’t.
Thank you for your time. I would ask the media that I have included to please run a story and call parents. This is what we the people and students want. Again, other districts are doing it, Cleveland County can.

Thank you

Martha Blanton