Anyone else disappointed about graduation?

[Anonymous]

My senior's graduation is at 9 a.m. on a Wednesday basically in Baltimore. None of us are excited to get up early and drive up to Baltimore for this impersonal graduation, and I don't even want to ask family to do this. My kid is already asking if they can just skip and sleep in. Is there a way to make this celebratory? Go to lunch afterwards?

[Anonymous]

Your kid doesn’t want to go so just skip it.

[Anonymous]

If you and your family don’t value graduation as a ritual, then you just don’t.

My parents made the long trek to Constitution Hall and dealt with nightmare parking because that moment was a really big deal for them and for me and my siblings. Doesn’t sound like that’s true for you.

[Anonymous]

This is 2 hours out of your life and you don’t want to be bothered? This is a milestone event and there will never be a do over.

[Anonymous]

Absolutely lunch. My graduation was at Lincoln Center and we all schlepped on the subway from Brooklyn. It'll be alright.

[Anonymous]

What would you be looking for to make it ac'perso al' graduation...some talking about each kid? At my kids college grad they did not even call the kids names. They just stood up together.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My senior's graduation is at 9 a.m. on a Wednesday basically in Baltimore. None of us are excited to get up early and drive up to Baltimore for this impersonal graduation, and I don't even want to ask family to do this. My kid is already asking if they can just skip and sleep in. Is there a way to make this celebratory? Go to lunch afterwards?

You are right. The BOE cut an under the table deal to force MCPS families to Baltimore to promote the Baltimore campus. The graduation isn’t about your child, it is about administrators scratching each other’s backs. Your child can sense that this is not an event for them and they are right.

[Anonymous]

No way would I support my kid skipping graduation. This is a milestone event that I have looked forward to myself! And I know our parents (grandparents) would be interested to attend too despite logistics.

And yes, definitely plan a lunch afterwards. In my home, we’d also do surprise decorations the night before and have whatever grad wanted for breakfast either at home or on the go. .

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My senior's graduation is at 9 a.m. on a Wednesday basically in Baltimore. None of us are excited to get up early and drive up to Baltimore for this impersonal graduation, and I don't even want to ask family to do this. My kid is already asking if they can just skip and sleep in. Is there a way to make this celebratory? Go to lunch afterwards?

You are right. The BOE cut an under the table deal to force MCPS families to Baltimore to promote the Baltimore campus. The graduation isn’t about your child, it is about administrators scratching each other’s backs. Your child can sense that this is not an event for them and they are right.

[Anonymous]

We’re going to suck it up and go, expecting the worst, and having gratitude that it will be the last time that we will have to deal with MCPS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My senior's graduation is at 9 a.m. on a Wednesday basically in Baltimore. None of us are excited to get up early and drive up to Baltimore for this impersonal graduation, and I don't even want to ask family to do this. My kid is already asking if they can just skip and sleep in. Is there a way to make this celebratory? Go to lunch afterwards?

You are right. The BOE cut an under the table deal to force MCPS families to Baltimore to promote the Baltimore campus. The graduation isn’t about your child, it is about administrators scratching each other’s backs. Your child can sense that this is not an event for them and they are right.

Promote the Baltimore campus? To kids who already have college plans set?? We were told it was just much cheaper than UMDCP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My senior's graduation is at 9 a.m. on a Wednesday basically in Baltimore. None of us are excited to get up early and drive up to Baltimore for this impersonal graduation, and I don't even want to ask family to do this. My kid is already asking if they can just skip and sleep in. Is there a way to make this celebratory? Go to lunch afterwards?

This is 100% your family's decision. Nobody has to go to a high school graduation ceremony, including the high school graduate. Your family can celebrate your child's high school graduation in any way you want. Do what you want to do. Don't do what you don't want to do. This is not a MCPS issue, this is a you issue.

[Anonymous]

I also think it’s a milestone event. If you don’t, count yourself as privileged because that means your kid didn’t have to work for it. Neither of my older two were thrilled about going. I made them go because I wanted them to recognize that when you work hard to reach the end and achieve, it’s something to recognize and celebrate.

We did lunch afterwards and later had a party to celebrate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My senior's graduation is at 9 a.m. on a Wednesday basically in Baltimore. None of us are excited to get up early and drive up to Baltimore for this impersonal graduation, and I don't even want to ask family to do this. My kid is already asking if they can just skip and sleep in. Is there a way to make this celebratory? Go to lunch afterwards?

You are right. The BOE cut an under the table deal to force MCPS families to Baltimore to promote the Baltimore campus. The graduation isn’t about your child, it is about administrators scratching each other’s backs. Your child can sense that this is not an event for them and they are right.

What are you talking about? Schools had three options-- constitution hall, their home school (probably football field), or UMBC. Our school, at least, had a vote and UMBC won. It may not be your preference, but it wasn't a BOE decision and a lot of people prefer it because it's more convenient for families and elderly (plenty of parking; almost unlimited tickets available). Our school also has a bus (for families and students) that you can sign up for if driving there is inconvenient.

It sounds like not all schools had a formal vote, but if they didn't, it was your principal's decision, not the BOE's.

[Anonymous]

Speaking as someone whose kid graduated in 2020 and got a zoom graduation, go. We only have so many silly and not so silly rituals to celebrate with our children.