school just don't get it do they? No graduation ceremony for sleepy teen

[critter]

"It's the thing you've waited your whole life for, to walk across the stage with your graduating class," said Sam Pierce.

Sam Pierce has been an honor student at Wausaukee High School all school year and was looking forward to graduating with her class in May. But when the class of 2010 walks across the stage, Sam Pierce won't be with them.

"I woke up late," Sam explained.

Sam says one day in February her alarm didn't work, she woke up around 10 o'clock, and went to school shortly after. She says she told the office what happened, and went to class late, which turned out to be an unexcused absence.

"I could have said anything," said Sam. "I went in there not thinking that I wasn't going to be able to walk for graduation and just said 'Hey I made an honest mistake and I'm here. I want to go to class.'"

School policy says "Seniors must have no unexcused absences during the second semester of their senior year or they will not be allowed to participate in the commencement exercise."

The president of the school board wouldn't do an on camera interview, but said over the phone students are well informed of the policy, as far as he's concerned the matter is closed, and he doesn't see any way to change it.

"The policy needs to be changed," said Laurie Espy, Sam's mother. "Everybody deserves a second chance."

Sam's mother went to the school board last week and asked members to change the policy to allow her daughter to participate in the graduation ceremony. They did not.

"I can sit in the crowd, but i can't be up there with everybody else and I worked just as hard as everybody else," said Sam.

Sam has many memories of her high school days at Wausaukee, but she will likely not be a part of the moment she and the rest of her class have been working toward.

Wausaukee school representatives say the policy was put in place four years ago when the school had a problem with students skipping school.

The district also tells us the policy has been enforced in past years, and that there is another senior who will not participate in commencement exercises because she also has an unexcused absence."

WISH Strange News: No graduation ceremony for sleepy teen

what is with school punish people who are helping themselfs. yet when it comes to bullies there afraid...

 

[Dr Gregg]

wow, just dumb, no unexcused absences? Pretty damn draconian, holy cow.

that would probably have disqualified half my graduating class.

schools have gotten out of hand with their overreactions and stupid draconian rules, so glad I'm not a student these days

 

[bodecea]

wow, just dumb, no unexcused absences? Pretty damn draconian, holy cow.

that would probably have disqualified half my graduating class.

schools have gotten out of hand with their overreactions and stupid draconian rules, so glad I'm not a student these days

That policy is ridiculous in the first place. Seriously.

 

[Avatar4321]

There is nothing you can do to change it? seriously? How about you just say "We now hereby change this stupid policy."

 

[critter]

There is nothing you can do to change it? seriously? How about you just say "We now hereby change this stupid policy."

i have no control over what a school does. i have no problem saying something to them.
you can't just change something. why she protesting it

 

[critter]

wow, just dumb, no unexcused absences? Pretty damn draconian, holy cow.

that would probably have disqualified half my graduating class.

schools have gotten out of hand with their overreactions and stupid draconian rules, so glad I'm not a student these days

oh i agree

 

[Againsheila]

"It's the thing you've waited your whole life for, to walk across the stage with your graduating class," said Sam Pierce.

Sam Pierce has been an honor student at Wausaukee High School all school year and was looking forward to graduating with her class in May. But when the class of 2010 walks across the stage, Sam Pierce won't be with them.

"I woke up late," Sam explained.

Sam says one day in February her alarm didn't work, she woke up around 10 o'clock, and went to school shortly after. She says she told the office what happened, and went to class late, which turned out to be an unexcused absence.

"I could have said anything," said Sam. "I went in there not thinking that I wasn't going to be able to walk for graduation and just said 'Hey I made an honest mistake and I'm here. I want to go to class.'"

School policy says "Seniors must have no unexcused absences during the second semester of their senior year or they will not be allowed to participate in the commencement exercise."

The president of the school board wouldn't do an on camera interview, but said over the phone students are well informed of the policy, as far as he's concerned the matter is closed, and he doesn't see any way to change it.

"The policy needs to be changed," said Laurie Espy, Sam's mother. "Everybody deserves a second chance."

Sam's mother went to the school board last week and asked members to change the policy to allow her daughter to participate in the graduation ceremony. They did not.

"I can sit in the crowd, but i can't be up there with everybody else and I worked just as hard as everybody else," said Sam.

Sam has many memories of her high school days at Wausaukee, but she will likely not be a part of the moment she and the rest of her class have been working toward.

Wausaukee school representatives say the policy was put in place four years ago when the school had a problem with students skipping school.

The district also tells us the policy has been enforced in past years, and that there is another senior who will not participate in commencement exercises because she also has an unexcused absence."

WISH Strange News: No graduation ceremony for sleepy teen

what is with school punish people who are helping themselfs. yet when it comes to bullies there afraid...

This is the problem with "zero tolerance".

 

[blu]

glad the teachers are caring about the important things

 

[Modbert]

This is only the beginning of draconian laws for schools here in the United States under Zero Tolerance. My school never had anything like this specifically. However, they did have a policy where if you had 5 unexcused absences within two quarters, you'd get detention.

So basically, if you ever get sick but not sick enough to go to the doctors, you have to go to the doctors anyway just to get a note. And even then, they look at you like you've done something wrong for taking a day out.

I'll admit, I never miss a class in college (I rather not fall behind) but I enjoy knowing the fact I can get up any time I damn well please and walk out.

 

[Modbert]

glad the teachers are caring about the important things

It's not the teachers for the most part, it's the Administration in the schools. They want to try and fix low graduation rates or even low attendance rates. The problem they don't want to face and admit is that once you're accepted to college as a senior, that second half of the year is just filler until you leave.

I can say that outside of my finance class, there was nothing I learned or nothing I needed to know by my senior year.

 

[Barb]

Dickheads. The kid is an honors student, and most get a couple days (late) because of a faulty alarm. I told my son's school district that if his alarm didn't go off I'd pick a lie from the list of acceptable excuses and write him a note accordingly. This is the problem with some school districts: they aren't trying to help their students succeed, they're actively obstructing their progress.

 

[xotoxi]

There is nothing you can do to change it? seriously? How about you just say "We now hereby change this stupid policy."

Unfortunately, I've heard that the school rules are carved in stone...so the principle's hands are tied.

(And I called him a principle, because this guy ain't nobody's "pal")

 

[xotoxi]

This is the problem with "zero tolerance".

Zero tolerance for a kid discussing how he is planning a massacre at the school makes sense.

Zero tolerance for a kid who decides to bring his new pistol to school to show his friends makes sense.

Zero tolerance for a kid trading some of his mom's oxycodone for another parent's xanax makes sense.

Zero tolerance for oversleeping and missing a half day of school does NOT make sense.

 

[Baruch Menachem]

There must be a policy when that when you apply for a school administration job, you check your brain at the door.

 

[beowolfe]

Somethng tells me that this policy has as much to do with money as it does with attendance.

 

[critter]

There is nothing you can do to change it? seriously? How about you just say "We now hereby change this stupid policy."

Unfortunately, I've heard that the school rules are carved in stone...so the principle's hands are tied.

(And I called him a principle, because this guy ain't nobody's "pal")

they added the rule/policy cause there was so many people not coming to school. so if they can easily add it they can easily take it away. or re word or re fix it in the future the hands are not tied.