Anonymous
06/09/2026 19:07
Subject: No more Honor Cords, Stoles etc at future FCPS Graduations?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:IMO cords are dumb. I went to MIT and it didn't allow anything. In a crazy rat race we don't need even more mini races that don't matter.
+1
It used to be that we made a very big deal out of post-graduate degrees, a big deal out of college graduation, and a minor deal out of high school graduation.
Now, we make a huge deal out of high school graduation (even throwing parties that cost $10K or more), and we expect promotion ceremonies and major school awards at the end of preschool, kindergarten, sixth grade, and eighth grade.
It has gotten way out of hand.
So what? People can celebrate how they want to.
Fine, you can celebrate how you choose. But expecting the schools to host major awards and promotion ceremonies, give trophies for having a pulse, and allow for obscene displays of grandiosity at graduation is out of hand.
So now an NHS stole and a service cord are “obscene displays of grandiosity”? You sound insane.
Of course those two alone are not obscene, but a kid wearing 12-20 cords plus 4-6 medals, which they purchased online, is obscene.
You must be from Maryland or Loudoyn, or perhaps California.
FCPS (Fairfax County, Virginia) does not allow cords that students purchase on Amazon. Those get thrown in the trash or taken back to the high schools when the admin checks in the students for graduation.
FCPS (again, Fairfax County Virginia, NOT maryland or Loudoun or whatever state where you are from) is very strict about only allowing cords on the approved list.
No student will be able to get 20 cords. It just is not possible.
Those of you from other districts should not be commenting here.
I'm from FCPS. No one checked cords at any of my kids' graduations, and there were definitely kids with 12+ cords.
My neighbor bragged about buying cords and medals on Amazon for both of her kids. No one checked any of their cords and medals.
What achool?
I am highly skeptical of your post
I teach at an FCPS school. No one takes away fake/amazon cords. Kids wear whatever they want.
The adult and alternative high schools graduating at the end of the week? Of course. Let them buy cords on Amazon. Who cares.
Who else is left after today?
Lake Braddock, Robinson, Herndon and Madison?
I am pretty sure Lake Braddock and Robinson limit cords to the approved. I would imagine that Madison does as well.
I can't speak to Herndon as I don't know any kids from there.
Anonymous
06/09/2026 18:43
Subject: No more Honor Cords, Stoles etc at future FCPS Graduations?
Anonymous wrote:This wouldn’t bother me at all. Things have gotten to the point where no one knows what many of the cords mean anyway.
Have at it, ridiculous OP.
+1
Anonymous
06/09/2026 18:40
Subject: No more Honor Cords, Stoles etc at future FCPS Graduations?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:IMO cords are dumb. I went to MIT and it didn't allow anything. In a crazy rat race we don't need even more mini races that don't matter.
+1
It used to be that we made a very big deal out of post-graduate degrees, a big deal out of college graduation, and a minor deal out of high school graduation.
Now, we make a huge deal out of high school graduation (even throwing parties that cost $10K or more), and we expect promotion ceremonies and major school awards at the end of preschool, kindergarten, sixth grade, and eighth grade.
It has gotten way out of hand.
So what? People can celebrate how they want to.
Fine, you can celebrate how you choose. But expecting the schools to host major awards and promotion ceremonies, give trophies for having a pulse, and allow for obscene displays of grandiosity at graduation is out of hand.
So now an NHS stole and a service cord are “obscene displays of grandiosity”? You sound insane.
Of course those two alone are not obscene, but a kid wearing 12-20 cords plus 4-6 medals, which they purchased online, is obscene.
You must be from Maryland or Loudoyn, or perhaps California.
FCPS (Fairfax County, Virginia) does not allow cords that students purchase on Amazon. Those get thrown in the trash or taken back to the high schools when the admin checks in the students for graduation.
FCPS (again, Fairfax County Virginia, NOT maryland or Loudoun or whatever state where you are from) is very strict about only allowing cords on the approved list.
No student will be able to get 20 cords. It just is not possible.
Those of you from other districts should not be commenting here.
+1
I am an FCPS parent, and I have been following this thread because my youngest graduates in 2 years.
There seems to one or more trolls posting on this thread. Several posters seem to k ow nothing at all about FCPS, let alone HS graduation here.
The troll posting about “buying cords on Amazon” appears to have fabricated that just to stir up trouble here. Go away trolls!
Anonymous
06/09/2026 18:17
Subject: No more Honor Cords, Stoles etc at future FCPS Graduations?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:IMO cords are dumb. I went to MIT and it didn't allow anything. In a crazy rat race we don't need even more mini races that don't matter.
+1
It used to be that we made a very big deal out of post-graduate degrees, a big deal out of college graduation, and a minor deal out of high school graduation.
Now, we make a huge deal out of high school graduation (even throwing parties that cost $10K or more), and we expect promotion ceremonies and major school awards at the end of preschool, kindergarten, sixth grade, and eighth grade.
It has gotten way out of hand.
So what? People can celebrate how they want to.
Fine, you can celebrate how you choose. But expecting the schools to host major awards and promotion ceremonies, give trophies for having a pulse, and allow for obscene displays of grandiosity at graduation is out of hand.
So now an NHS stole and a service cord are “obscene displays of grandiosity”? You sound insane.
Of course those two alone are not obscene, but a kid wearing 12-20 cords plus 4-6 medals, which they purchased online, is obscene.
You must be from Maryland or Loudoyn, or perhaps California.
FCPS (Fairfax County, Virginia) does not allow cords that students purchase on Amazon. Those get thrown in the trash or taken back to the high schools when the admin checks in the students for graduation.
FCPS (again, Fairfax County Virginia, NOT maryland or Loudoun or whatever state where you are from) is very strict about only allowing cords on the approved list.
No student will be able to get 20 cords. It just is not possible.
Those of you from other districts should not be commenting here.
I'm from FCPS. No one checked cords at any of my kids' graduations, and there were definitely kids with 12+ cords.
My neighbor bragged about buying cords and medals on Amazon for both of her kids. No one checked any of their cords and medals.
What achool?
I am highly skeptical of your post
I teach at an FCPS school. No one takes away fake/amazon cords. Kids wear whatever they want.
Since you are a teacher, presumably HS, have you heard about this change?
No.
That said, we have not even completed this year’s graduation yet. I would imagine policy for next year will come out next year.
Anonymous
06/09/2026 18:10
Subject: No more Honor Cords, Stoles etc at future FCPS Graduations?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:IMO cords are dumb. I went to MIT and it didn't allow anything. In a crazy rat race we don't need even more mini races that don't matter.
+1
It used to be that we made a very big deal out of post-graduate degrees, a big deal out of college graduation, and a minor deal out of high school graduation.
Now, we make a huge deal out of high school graduation (even throwing parties that cost $10K or more), and we expect promotion ceremonies and major school awards at the end of preschool, kindergarten, sixth grade, and eighth grade.
It has gotten way out of hand.
So what? People can celebrate how they want to.
Fine, you can celebrate how you choose. But expecting the schools to host major awards and promotion ceremonies, give trophies for having a pulse, and allow for obscene displays of grandiosity at graduation is out of hand.
So now an NHS stole and a service cord are “obscene displays of grandiosity”? You sound insane.
Of course those two alone are not obscene, but a kid wearing 12-20 cords plus 4-6 medals, which they purchased online, is obscene.
You must be from Maryland or Loudoyn, or perhaps California.
FCPS (Fairfax County, Virginia) does not allow cords that students purchase on Amazon. Those get thrown in the trash or taken back to the high schools when the admin checks in the students for graduation.
FCPS (again, Fairfax County Virginia, NOT maryland or Loudoun or whatever state where you are from) is very strict about only allowing cords on the approved list.
No student will be able to get 20 cords. It just is not possible.
Those of you from other districts should not be commenting here.
I'm from FCPS. No one checked cords at any of my kids' graduations, and there were definitely kids with 12+ cords.
My neighbor bragged about buying cords and medals on Amazon for both of her kids. No one checked any of their cords and medals.
What achool?
I am highly skeptical of your post
I teach at an FCPS school. No one takes away fake/amazon cords. Kids wear whatever they want.
Since you are a teacher, presumably HS, have you heard about this change?
Anonymous
06/09/2026 17:31
Subject: No more Honor Cords, Stoles etc at future FCPS Graduations?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:IMO cords are dumb. I went to MIT and it didn't allow anything. In a crazy rat race we don't need even more mini races that don't matter.
+1
It used to be that we made a very big deal out of post-graduate degrees, a big deal out of college graduation, and a minor deal out of high school graduation.
Now, we make a huge deal out of high school graduation (even throwing parties that cost $10K or more), and we expect promotion ceremonies and major school awards at the end of preschool, kindergarten, sixth grade, and eighth grade.
It has gotten way out of hand.
So what? People can celebrate how they want to.
Fine, you can celebrate how you choose. But expecting the schools to host major awards and promotion ceremonies, give trophies for having a pulse, and allow for obscene displays of grandiosity at graduation is out of hand.
So now an NHS stole and a service cord are “obscene displays of grandiosity”? You sound insane.
Of course those two alone are not obscene, but a kid wearing 12-20 cords plus 4-6 medals, which they purchased online, is obscene.
You must be from Maryland or Loudoyn, or perhaps California.
FCPS (Fairfax County, Virginia) does not allow cords that students purchase on Amazon. Those get thrown in the trash or taken back to the high schools when the admin checks in the students for graduation.
FCPS (again, Fairfax County Virginia, NOT maryland or Loudoun or whatever state where you are from) is very strict about only allowing cords on the approved list.
No student will be able to get 20 cords. It just is not possible.
Those of you from other districts should not be commenting here.
I'm from FCPS. No one checked cords at any of my kids' graduations, and there were definitely kids with 12+ cords.
My neighbor bragged about buying cords and medals on Amazon for both of her kids. No one checked any of their cords and medals.
What achool?
I am highly skeptical of your post
I teach at an FCPS school. No one takes away fake/amazon cords. Kids wear whatever they want.
Anonymous
06/09/2026 17:00
Subject: Re:No more Honor Cords, Stoles etc at future FCPS Graduations?
Anonymous wrote:OP, which school does your child attend? I have a rising senior and have not heard of this change. It seems like something that would be communicated division-wide and not on an individual school basis.
OP here - I am not a troll. I'm a real parent who is questioning this new proposed policy. It has not yet been widely circulated -- but teachers at my child's school (and perhaps FCPS wide, not sure) received emails about this.
Given how there are some uber-sleuths on this thread who have decided to pick apart my posts, examine purported "inconsistencies," and then declare I am a troll, I'm going to limit my responses here on out. I posted as a genuine question to see if others had heard this (and yes, inserted my own opinion *horror* if it turns out to be true).
Anonymous
06/09/2026 16:27
Subject: No more Honor Cords, Stoles etc at future FCPS Graduations?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:IMO cords are dumb. I went to MIT and it didn't allow anything. In a crazy rat race we don't need even more mini races that don't matter.
+1
It used to be that we made a very big deal out of post-graduate degrees, a big deal out of college graduation, and a minor deal out of high school graduation.
Now, we make a huge deal out of high school graduation (even throwing parties that cost $10K or more), and we expect promotion ceremonies and major school awards at the end of preschool, kindergarten, sixth grade, and eighth grade.
It has gotten way out of hand.
So what? People can celebrate how they want to.
Fine, you can celebrate how you choose. But expecting the schools to host major awards and promotion ceremonies, give trophies for having a pulse, and allow for obscene displays of grandiosity at graduation is out of hand.
So now an NHS stole and a service cord are “obscene displays of grandiosity”? You sound insane.
Of course those two alone are not obscene, but a kid wearing 12-20 cords plus 4-6 medals, which they purchased online, is obscene.
You must be from Maryland or Loudoyn, or perhaps California.
FCPS (Fairfax County, Virginia) does not allow cords that students purchase on Amazon. Those get thrown in the trash or taken back to the high schools when the admin checks in the students for graduation.
FCPS (again, Fairfax County Virginia, NOT maryland or Loudoun or whatever state where you are from) is very strict about only allowing cords on the approved list.
No student will be able to get 20 cords. It just is not possible.
Those of you from other districts should not be commenting here.
I'm from FCPS. No one checked cords at any of my kids' graduations, and there were definitely kids with 12+ cords.
My neighbor bragged about buying cords and medals on Amazon for both of her kids. No one checked any of their cords and medals.
What achool?
I am highly skeptical of your post
Anonymous
06/09/2026 15:49
Subject: No more Honor Cords, Stoles etc at future FCPS Graduations?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:IMO cords are dumb. I went to MIT and it didn't allow anything. In a crazy rat race we don't need even more mini races that don't matter.
+1
It used to be that we made a very big deal out of post-graduate degrees, a big deal out of college graduation, and a minor deal out of high school graduation.
Now, we make a huge deal out of high school graduation (even throwing parties that cost $10K or more), and we expect promotion ceremonies and major school awards at the end of preschool, kindergarten, sixth grade, and eighth grade.
It has gotten way out of hand.
So what? People can celebrate how they want to.
Fine, you can celebrate how you choose. But expecting the schools to host major awards and promotion ceremonies, give trophies for having a pulse, and allow for obscene displays of grandiosity at graduation is out of hand.
So now an NHS stole and a service cord are “obscene displays of grandiosity”? You sound insane.
Of course those two alone are not obscene, but a kid wearing 12-20 cords plus 4-6 medals, which they purchased online, is obscene.
You must be from Maryland or Loudoyn, or perhaps California.
FCPS (Fairfax County, Virginia) does not allow cords that students purchase on Amazon. Those get thrown in the trash or taken back to the high schools when the admin checks in the students for graduation.
FCPS (again, Fairfax County Virginia, NOT maryland or Loudoun or whatever state where you are from) is very strict about only allowing cords on the approved list.
No student will be able to get 20 cords. It just is not possible.
Those of you from other districts should not be commenting here.
I'm from FCPS. No one checked cords at any of my kids' graduations, and there were definitely kids with 12+ cords.
My neighbor bragged about buying cords and medals on Amazon for both of her kids. No one checked any of their cords and medals.
Anonymous
06/09/2026 15:44
Subject: No more Honor Cords, Stoles etc at future FCPS Graduations?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:IMO cords are dumb. I went to MIT and it didn't allow anything. In a crazy rat race we don't need even more mini races that don't matter.
+1
It used to be that we made a very big deal out of post-graduate degrees, a big deal out of college graduation, and a minor deal out of high school graduation.
Now, we make a huge deal out of high school graduation (even throwing parties that cost $10K or more), and we expect promotion ceremonies and major school awards at the end of preschool, kindergarten, sixth grade, and eighth grade.
It has gotten way out of hand.
So what? People can celebrate how they want to.
Fine, you can celebrate how you choose. But expecting the schools to host major awards and promotion ceremonies, give trophies for having a pulse, and allow for obscene displays of grandiosity at graduation is out of hand.
So now an NHS stole and a service cord are “obscene displays of grandiosity”? You sound insane.
Of course those two alone are not obscene, but a kid wearing 12-20 cords plus 4-6 medals, which they purchased online, is obscene.
You must be from Maryland or Loudoyn, or perhaps California.
FCPS (Fairfax County, Virginia) does not allow cords that students purchase on Amazon. Those get thrown in the trash or taken back to the high schools when the admin checks in the students for graduation.
FCPS (again, Fairfax County Virginia, NOT maryland or Loudoun or whatever state where you are from) is very strict about only allowing cords on the approved list.
No student will be able to get 20 cords. It just is not possible.
Those of you from other districts should not be commenting here.
Anonymous
06/09/2026 15:40
Subject: No more Honor Cords, Stoles etc at future FCPS Graduations?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:IMO cords are dumb. I went to MIT and it didn't allow anything. In a crazy rat race we don't need even more mini races that don't matter.
+1
It used to be that we made a very big deal out of post-graduate degrees, a big deal out of college graduation, and a minor deal out of high school graduation.
Now, we make a huge deal out of high school graduation (even throwing parties that cost $10K or more), and we expect promotion ceremonies and major school awards at the end of preschool, kindergarten, sixth grade, and eighth grade.
It has gotten way out of hand.
So what? People can celebrate how they want to.
Fine, you can celebrate how you choose. But expecting the schools to host major awards and promotion ceremonies, give trophies for having a pulse, and allow for obscene displays of grandiosity at graduation is out of hand.
So now an NHS stole and a service cord are “obscene displays of grandiosity”? You sound insane.
Aren't most college-bound kids in NHS? Doesn't seem like it's worth any special fanfare.
No.
One of mine was in the top 20 students out of 600+ seniors. They did not do national honor society because of all the required service hours.
Anonymous
06/09/2026 15:39
Subject: No more Honor Cords, Stoles etc at future FCPS Graduations?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Why is there a Girl Scout/Boy Scout cord but no cords for sports?
It is not for participation.
The Eagle Scout and Gold Scout awards are international honors that take years to achieve.
Athletes that win a state medal can wear them at graduation.
Students cannot wear scout participation or sports participation or club participation medals or cords at graduation.
Only honor societies, academic honors and major state/national/international honors are worn.
NP here. I'm pretty sure I saw an Eagle Scout cord listed in a FCPS graduation program last week.
Correct.
Eagle scout is not a participation cord as others have claimed. It is an earned international honor, which is why students are allowed to wear the cord and why it is listed on the approved cord list.
Anonymous
06/09/2026 15:37
Subject: No more Honor Cords, Stoles etc at future FCPS Graduations?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Where's the list of cords?
Doesn't matter because kids are wearing/buying their own. Too many grads for the school to check and approve.
Fcps does not allow kids to wear Amazon cords.
Fcps has a color coded list and only those cords are allowed
Anonymous
06/09/2026 15:23
Subject: No more Honor Cords, Stoles etc at future FCPS Graduations?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:OP, could you please articulate why this is important to you/your kid?
(To be clear, I ask this question as the parent of kids who do very well academically, and their graduation accessories are not something that matters to me, so I'm trying to understand where you're coming from.)
It is important to many of us that children who do well academically and are involved be recognized the way other students are for their non-academic achievements. At my children's FCPS high school, the athletes are recognized with pep rallies, photos on the school web site, parades, write ups in local publications, etc. Academics? Not so much. I think the cords are a nice equalizer. It's one day. It's nice when the enthusiasm for the talents of others (which we do have - we loved being part of a school with great athletics and school spirit) conveys to academics and involvement.
+100
Anonymous
06/09/2026 15:04
Subject: No more Honor Cords, Stoles etc at future FCPS Graduations?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Why is there a Girl Scout/Boy Scout cord but no cords for sports?
It is not for participation.
The Eagle Scout and Gold Scout awards are international honors that take years to achieve.
Athletes that win a state medal can wear them at graduation.
Students cannot wear scout participation or sports participation or club participation medals or cords at graduation.
Only honor societies, academic honors and major state/national/international honors are worn.
Our school had a cord for both Boy Scout and Girl Scout- nothing about award winners only. Like, they sold some cookies and learned campfire songs.
No, the chords are given to the Girl Scouts once they achieve their gold award. Not because they learned some campfire songs when they were in kindergarten they basically did 100 hours of community service on a global project. And they basically did this on their own to solve an issue.