Editor’s note: The following has been sent to the governor's office , the secretary of education, and the speaker of the house.
I feel strongly that we need to do something special for the high school Class of 2020.
Rationale: Under normal circumstances, in a few months hundreds of young people, our high school seniors, would be marching down an aisle and rising to a stage to receive a diploma to commemorate their twelve year accomplishment as elementary, middle, and high school students.
However, our current circumstances are not at all normal, and the reality of graduation exercises is dim if not extinguished. Certainly, we can be hopeful for a postponement of these June festivities to July or even August, but such is truly a toss of the dice.
One can suspect that the local school districts are already planning alternatives to the traditional graduation exercises for which they are to be applauded, but perhaps Delaware can do something special and different.
The project:
Let us imagine, no, let us plan, a virtual statewide event for all the seniors exiting twelfth grade this June. Public schools, private schools, charter schools, home schools, all will all be included.
Gov. Carney will be the presiding official assisted by his secretary of education. All the graduating students and their parents, grandparents, et al., will be tuned in and connected by the amazing world of the internet. (We shall let the technical experts select the platform.)
During the virtual ceremony, there will be many opportunities for the children to see one another, and realize what an array of humanity of all genders and hues are sharing in this beautiful experience of the Class of 2020.
This will be a graduation like no other since we are living in a time like no other.
The logistics:
Planning should begin at the Ides of April or soon thereafter in order to make the project a reality as we bring together the people who could make this happen. This is not impossible to do, nor is it that difficult really for the Zoom people (or whichever technical means is best).
The author/originator awaits positive or negative feedback before proceeding to the actual planning phase.
Peter E. Carter
Retired private and public school administrator
Lewes
