Graduation Policy At Happy Valley Stirs Controversy
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POLL RESULTS:
Do you feel students should be allowed to decorate their caps at graduation, even if the decorations are distracting or offensive to some people?
Yes 43% (106 votes)
No 53% (131 votes)
Undecided 4% (10 votes)
Seniors at Happy Valley High School in Carter County will receive their diplomas during the graduation ceremony on Saturday. But those who break a new rule will not be allowed to participate.
Kim Burchfield and other parents are upset over a new policy at Happy Valley that bans students from writing anything on the top of their graduation caps.
“I don’t think its right, I think the parents paid for them and I think they should put whatever they want on it as long as it’s appropriate,“ Burchfield said.
Carter County school officials said the new policy was put in place after the school heard that some students were planning to put what some might consider racially offensive symbols and slogans on their caps.
“They went to school for 13 years to work for this day and now they are not going to be able to walk across the stage because they wrote 2009, their names, ETSU bound on their hats,“ said Janie Rice, parent.
School officials said students recently signed contracts which said they understood the new policy.
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Reader Reactions
I believe that this violates their right to free speech! In a sea of hundreds of maroon and white caps, it would be nice to be able to find your child by finding their personalized cap! I would understand this “NEW” policy if the school had paid for the caps and gowns, but they did not. We, the families and students did. And just because a few kids wanted to put a rebel flag on their caps (which is their right as an American to be proud of their heritage), every graduating student is being punished! So I guess now they shouldn’t throw their caps, (which is traditional at the end of any graduation) because the won’t know whose cap is whose!
Just call me:
“a disappointed with HVH parent”
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