The morning after I attended my son’s 8th grade graduation, I read that some school districts are doing away with this ceremony, and I strongly disagree with this trend. Graduating from 8th grade marks an important transition from elementary school to high school.
The problem with “keeping up with the Joneses” can be resolved without eliminating the ceremony. The school can make a rule against limousines and prevent them from entering the parking lot and dropping off their passengers. The gowns cover up any designer clothes, and I don’t see anything wrong with the girls putting their hair up and getting their nails done. Excesses are brought on by the parents who pay for them, so it’s wrong to punish the whole student body. Make rules, enforce them, and punish the people who break them. These kids have worked hard for nine years to get to this point, and they deserve a celebration.
