UPDATED INFO! Community Anger continues towards the proposal by IPS to radically change how high school graduations are conducted. On Tuesday’s Afternoons with Amos, listeners were UNIFORMLY opposed and angry at the proposals. Many listeners were insluted at the suggestion of an IPS PR person who told Afternons with Amos listeners that one reason for limiting graduations to one hour was become of restless “toddlers” and “older family members”. Several suggesting that the plan to have all seven IPS high school graduations in one location could bring extra security problems and concerns. Audio of Tuesday’s Reaction by the Community is Posted Below. READ DETAILS & BACKGROUND ON THE ISSUE HERE: High school graduations are a unique rite of passage. An important occasion, not just for the graduate, but for their families. High school graduations in Indy have traditionally occurred on weekday evenings; Saturday or Sunday afternoons and evenings, either in ceremonies at school, or because of large graduating classes, at other locations.
Until now…
Student Speakers Could be eliminated in IPS Plan
Afternoons with Amos learned over the weekend that IPS Superintendent Dr. Lewis Ferebee is recommending to the IPS Board that the district undertake RADICAL changes to the district’s seven high school graduation ceremonies. Instead of being held in the evenings at individual schools, IPS’ Class of 2015 graduation ceremonies would occur, one after the other, at the Convention Center, Wednesday, June 10th, starting at ten in the morning through eight that evening; with five of those commencements occurring BEFORE 5:30pm in the afternoon. The change also includes an effort by IPS to streamline the graduation program to take no more than one hour. A reality that would force many graduation services to exclude student speeches, remarks by community leaders and lead to a rushed presentation of diplomas.
IPS Graduation Ceremonies would be shortened to no more than one hour!
This abrupt change is causing great concern about graduating seniors in IPS high schools along with parents, family and the community. Afternoons with Amos talked with Isaiah Thomas, a Crispus Attucks student and member of the Class of 2015. Thomas and other members of the school’s student graduation committee have been compiling petitions for Supt. Ferebee and the IPS Board to protest the decision and ask for reconsideration or a longer time for study and evaluation. Thomas and others are also concerned about the lack of tradition, shortened and truncated graduation ceremonies and the inability of teachers to participate. Listener reaction to the IPS radical graduation plan was swift and overwhelmingly angry and against. Click the Media Player to Hear About the Radical IPS Plan to Radically Change High School Graduations. Runs 23 Minutes. ©2015 WTLC/Radio One. Community Anger Continued on Tuesday’s Afternoons with Amos. With Listeners Angry Over IPS Saying Senior Citizens Couldn’t Endure Long Graduations. Runs 64 Minutes ©2015 WTLC/Radio One.
