Michelle Obama asked not to attend High School commencement

[rogue06]

It depends on how big the schools are - and if they thought 8000 seats was reasonable, the schools are likely pretty small.

But yeah, a graduating class of 500 would take forever...

My graduating class had somewhere around 1100.

[rogue06]

Not that graduation means anything special to begin with, besides your initiation into a new world of mandatory student loan debt of several thousand dollars.

Merry Christmas.

This is for a High School graduation.

[Sparko]

My graduating class had somewhere around 1100.

That's a lot of ninja squirrels.

[rogue06]

UPDATE:



Michele Obama has responded to the protests by deciding to move her speech to May 16 at what is called a "senior recognition day" ceremony rather than giving it during the graduation ceremony a day later.

Source: NEW DATE FOR FIRST LADY'S KANSAS GRADUATION SPEECH

Michelle Obama is rearranging plans for a speech before graduating high school seniors in Kansas in the face of protests that her appearance at a combined graduation ceremony for five schools would limit seating for families and friends.

She had accepted the Topeka public school district's invitation to speak May 17 at the combined ceremony to mark that day's 60th anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court ruling in Brown v. Board of Education, outlawing school segregation. The case originated in Topeka.

But a furor over what the district considered an honor erupted after plans for Mrs. Obama's address were announced.

Under a new plan worked out by the district, the first lady will speak on May 16 at a "senior recognition day" ceremony at the same 8,000-seat arena where the combined ceremony was to be held. The combined ceremony is being scrapped, and the five schools will hold separate graduation exercises instead.


Source

© Copyright Original Source

Note that the article also says that the combined graduation ceremony idea has been dropped as well.

If attendance is not mandatory it will be interested to see how many kids show up since most will probably be more interested in playing video games and the like. In any case I think she made the right decision. Good on her.

[rogue06]

That's a lot of ninja squirrels.

The typical graduating class from the NSA Academy is between 200 and 250. That is only around 10% of those that first enroll.

[KingsGambit]

It depends on how big the schools are - and if they thought 8000 seats was reasonable, the schools are likely pretty small.

But yeah, a graduating class of 500 would take forever...

That's about what my graduation class was (not combined). It was a long ceremony. IIRC Topeka schools were slightly smaller.

[Teallaura]

UPDATE:



Michele Obama has responded to the protests by deciding to move her speech to May 16 at what is called a "senior recognition day" ceremony rather than giving it during the graduation ceremony a day later.

Source: NEW DATE FOR FIRST LADY'S KANSAS GRADUATION SPEECH

Michelle Obama is rearranging plans for a speech before graduating high school seniors in Kansas in the face of protests that her appearance at a combined graduation ceremony for five schools would limit seating for families and friends.

She had accepted the Topeka public school district's invitation to speak May 17 at the combined ceremony to mark that day's 60th anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court ruling in Brown v. Board of Education, outlawing school segregation. The case originated in Topeka.

But a furor over what the district considered an honor erupted after plans for Mrs. Obama's address were announced.

Under a new plan worked out by the district, the first lady will speak on May 16 at a "senior recognition day" ceremony at the same 8,000-seat arena where the combined ceremony was to be held. The combined ceremony is being scrapped, and the five schools will hold separate graduation exercises instead.


Source

© Copyright Original Source

Note that the article also says that the combined graduation ceremony idea has been dropped as well.

If attendance is not mandatory it will be interested to see how many kids show up since most will probably be more interested in playing video games and the like. In any case I think she made the right decision. Good on her.

Agreed.

[Manwë Súlimo]

This is for a High School graduation.

Gee, and what happens after high school? Newly-minted graduates go to college, and unless mommy and daddy are really well off, they enter their new life with a debt that will follow them for a decade or so.

[KingsGambit]

You really don't think high school graduation is significant?

[Manwë Súlimo]

It's a pseudo-life milestone kids have that really isn't all that exciting. And anyway, lots of kids leave high school just as dumb as they entered it because our education system is borked.

[KingsGambit]

It's a pseudo-life milestone kids have that really isn't all that exciting. And anyway, lots of kids leave high school just as dumb as they entered it because our education system is borked.

Yeah, but try applying for a job without a diploma.

[Manwë Súlimo]

Yes, which is why higher education is such a racket. Every time I look at my course book checkout total, I weep like a little baby.