The Examiner U-46 News Feed
Virtual graduations on in U-46 despite pushback
By Seth Hancock
School District U-46 is still moving forward with a virtual graduation ceremony for high school seniors as COVID-19 shutdowns remain despite public pushback.
U-46 Superintendent Tony Sanders announced the decision on April 29 that instead of the rescheduled graduation at the Sears Centre in Hoffman Estates on July 11, the district will instead hold a virtual graduation on June 13 as the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) initially stated no in-person graduations would be allowed.
The ISBE later clarified that local districts, administrations and school boards would be allowed local control to make decisions.
The Examiner spoke to Bartlett High School senior Glen Nowak who said U-46 is being overly cautious, and he along with his fellow senior friends believe this decision is being made in haste.
“Personally, I think it’s too far away,” Nowak said. “I think there’s data coming out suggesting that we might be fine by July.”
Nowak, who plans to attend Indiana State University, said he saw his older brother graduate a few years ago at the Sears Centre and he wants a ceremony, the virtual ceremony is too impersonal.
“It’s kind of a mixed emotion,” Nowak said. “We want to have a graduation, but we don’t want it this way…. I don’t think a virtual graduation will be the same.”
A petition has also been started by Jean Driscoll, aunt of a Streamwood High School senior, which has over 2,000 signatures. The petition title: “U-46 High School Seniors deserve a proper high school graduation.”
In her petition statement, Driscoll wrote: “Streamwood High School students of the Class of 2020 will be honored in this virtual ceremony while sitting at home in front of their computer screen. And like some Seniors have said with disgust and disappointment ‘Graduation attire: my pjs!’ This is their ‘Super Bowl’ moment and it’s being stolen away from them. We owe them better than this!!!”
“Most of the Class of 2020 has already lost their Senior Prom, Spring Sport activities, Senior Trips and the list continues to grow,” Driscoll added. “High School graduation is a day these kids will never get back and we need to find a way to make it happen and recognize them for all their hard work.”
Several of those signing the petition made comments that they are seniors who have worked hard for 12 years and are “devastated” by the decision. Several suggested the district be more creative to hold some type of in-person graduation that follows “social distancing” guidelines like other school districts have.
Sanders announced the plan to continue with the June 13 virtual ceremony while the district hopes to plan another recognition later.
Sanders responded when asked what standards are being used to determine July 11 would not be safe and what message does U-46 have for those disappointed by the decisions?
“I am sorry,” Sanders said. “Our high school graduation ceremonies are to recognize your accomplishments. I, like you, and your principals, and your teachers, will mourn the loss of an in-person ceremony. However, we will do our best to make our virtual graduation ceremony meaningful for you and your family. Further, we will ensure your accomplishments are celebrated in-person as soon as we are allowed to do so. That is a commitment our Board of Education and I make to you.”
Noting that the ISBE has “relaxed” its stance on in-person graduations, Sanders stated regional superintendents are now making decisions for U-46 providing links to statements from Patricia Dal Santo, regional superintendent of schools in Kane County, and Darlene Ruscitti, regional superintendent of schools in DuPage County
Dal Santo wrote “do not conduct any type of in-person graduation ceremony based on current levels of COVID-19 activity in Kane County,” and Ruscitti echoed that for DuPage County “including drive-through ceremonies” also based on “current levels.”
Neither provided those numbers nor any standards to why those numbers mean it would be unsafe to hold any type of in-person ceremony nor any evidence of holding knowledge of where the numbers may be in July.
While Sanders stated U-46 will follow orders, other school districts have used local control. Several districts have held in-person graduation ceremonies even under “current levels,” not under possible levels in nearly two months.
Reavis High School in Cook County held an outdoor graduation ceremony with “social distancing” measures on Saturday, May 16 where it stated 441 graduates crossed the stage. Even earlier on May 6, Bradley Bourbonnais Community High School in Kankakee County had over 400 seniors participate as seniors and their families waited in their cars to be called individually into the school to take photos and receive a diploma.
Both of those schools lie within the same region as U-46 under Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s so-called “reopening” plan.
Shutdown orders across the country were initially justified under concerns that there may be a lack of hospital bed space and supplies, concerns that most government officials now admit never materialized. Now, governors like Pritzker are saying there may need to be a vaccine, which is in his “reopening” plan, before a true opening of society.
Beyond this “mission creep” and lack of standards, citizens are also pushing back against an apparent hypocrisy from public officials.
A Bartlett resident who signed the graduation petition wrote: “There is no reason not to be resuming life by July 11th! Shelter in Place was to understand the virus and get medical preparedness. Both are accomplished. Low morbidity rates are published. This is not the plague, most recover. Life needs to resume. If Pritzker’s wife can leisurely travel, and the Mayor of Chicago can get a haircut, it’s time to resume our normal lives. Our seniors suffered enough.”
Pritzker admitted on Friday, May 15 that his family has traveled to both Florida and Wisconsin despite his shutdown orders claiming the ability to ban “nonessential travel” of residents.
After getting a haircut while other residents have not been allowed to during the shutdown, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot responded: “I’m the public face of this city. I’m on national media and I’m out in the public eye. I take my personal hygiene very seriously. I felt like I needed to have a haircut. I’m not able to do that myself, so I got a haircut.”
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