"You can't walk at graduation because...."

[DisgruntledVirus]

http://www.news10.net/display_story.aspx?storyid=42732

Woodland, CA- 18-year-old Leanna Elizalde knows she's behind in her classes. Since December she had two cancer surgeries and faced weeks of radiation therapy that left her with at least one english class she has to finish in order to graduate on Saturday. "I was falling behind in some classes. But I tried my best to catch up," she said.

Leanna's mother Lupe Ramirez said she asked the school to allow her daughter to graduate with her fellow students, even if she has to finish her classes over the summer. "I spoke with the vice principal. I spoke with the principal and even the school district and they're all like, nope, nope, nope, absolutely not," said Ramirez.

Woodland High School Principal Evelia Genera responded to News Ten's questions by saying, "Oh, I have no comment," and later adding, "You're not her parent. I'm not at liberty to discuss students with anyone but the parent."

Ramirez said the school told her it will not make an exception to the rule that students must have enough units at the time of their graduation.

Elizalde's doctor, UC Davis Professor of Clinical Surgery, Robert Canter has written to the school to ask them to reconsider their decision, saying, "I strongly believe that (Leanna) should be allowed to participate in her graduation ceremony, and I think that refusal to do so would be construed as a punitive action unbefitting a pediatric cancer patient."

Leanna's mother works for Yolo County Recorder Freddie Oakley, who has also asked the school to reconsider - or at least allow a statement to be read at graduation honoring her. "And I thought someone might take 60 or 90-seconds and say, 'Tonight we also honor Leanna Alizalde, who's been fighting a courageous battle, a heroic battle against cancer."

Leanna plans to make up any unfinished class work during summer school. But she has her cap and gown, and hopes the school may reconsider before graduation ceremonies this Saturday at 9:30 a.m.

WTF? So this girl has cancer, and has been going through treatments which caused her to fall behind in English. So the school won't let her walk at graduation, even though she is going to take a summer school class to finish her credits? That school is seriously screwed up. Let her graduate, whats the issue with her walking but just not getting her diploma until she finishes her courses?

 

[EagleKeeper]

Participating the graduation ceremonies implicitly implies that you have completed the requirements. She has not - she can walk on the next cycle.

 

[waggy]

Originally posted by: Common Courtesy
Participating the graduation ceremonies implicitly implies that you have completed the requirements. She has not - she can walk on the next cycle.

yeap. i know its cold but i agree.

 

[DisgruntledVirus]

Originally posted by: Common Courtesy
Participating the graduation ceremonies implicitly implies that you have completed the requirements. She has not - she can walk on the next cycle.

She might not LIVE to the next cycle, on top of that it's a MEDICAL reason for it. It's NOT because she failed classes, or slacked. It's because she has been going through cancer treatments. Let her walk, and participate.

 

[mugs]

We've had this discussion here before... and most people here have no sympathy for people like her.

Personally, I don't see the problem with letting her walk since she'll finish up over the summer. My college allowed that. I see no value in being so legalistic.

(Edited for clarity)

 

[TehMac]

Yes, I agree with Mugs in this case. She has most likely worked her ass off for the past 3 years, and then got screwed with cancer.

Just let her walk.

 

[Anubis]

Originally posted by: mugs
We've had this discussion here before... and most people here have no sympathy for people like her.

Personally, I don't see the problem with letting her walk since she'll finish up over the summer. My college allowed that. I see no value in being so legalistic.

(Edited for clarity)

I agree with mugs

My college let people who served in the military walk with their class even tho they weren?t technically graduating because they spent time over seas during college

It?s pretty pathetic that they won?t let her walk, you can bitch all you want ATOT, we know most of you are heartless assholes already

 

[ElFenix]

Originally posted by: mugs
We've had this discussion here before... and most people here have no sympathy for people like her.

Personally, I don't see the problem with letting her walk since she'll finish up over the summer. My college allowed that. I see no value in being so legalistic.

(Edited for clarity)

my college allowed the same thing. as long as you could get done over the summer you could walk in may/june. no need to be an asshole just for the purpose of being an asshole.

 

[Xavier434]

Originally posted by: DisgruntledVirus

Originally posted by: Common Courtesy
Participating the graduation ceremonies implicitly implies that you have completed the requirements. She has not - she can walk on the next cycle.

She might not LIVE to the next cycle, on top of that it's a MEDICAL reason for it. It's NOT because she failed classes, or slacked. It's because she has been going through cancer treatments. Let her walk, and participate.

I agree. The other problem is that the article states that she will be catching up over the summer. Unless California does things differently, there is only one high school graduation ceremony per year. Therefore, there is no "next cycle" for her to walk. She'll be finishing over the summer and starting college or work soon afterwards. Just let her walk.

 

[BoomerD]

What if she is allowed to do this, then doesn't pass the courses over the summer?

I realize the graduation walk is more of a symbolic thing, but it SHOULD mean the person had met all the graduation requirements.

Even so, considering the situation, they should let her walk. (although I can see a slippery slope of other people who don't meet the requirements demanding to be allowed to walk if she is allowed to)

 

[ElFenix]

Originally posted by: BoomerD
What if she is allowed to do this, then doesn't pass the courses over the summer?

I realize the graduation walk is more of a symbolic thing, but it SHOULD mean the person had met all the graduation requirements.

Even so, considering the situation, they should let her walk. (although I can see a slippery slope of other people who don't meet the requirements demanding to be allowed to walk if she is allowed to)

slippery slope? what is slippery about a bright line rule that if you can get finished during the summer you can walk that may/june? if you can't finish that summer, you don't walk.

 

[Xavier434]

Originally posted by: BoomerD
What if she is allowed to do this, then doesn't pass the courses over the summer?

I realize the graduation walk is more of a symbolic thing, but it SHOULD mean the person had met all the graduation requirements.

Even so, considering the situation, they should let her walk. (although I can see a slippery slope of other people who don't meet the requirements demanding to be allowed to walk if she is allowed to)

Students are permitted to walk all of the time even though they do not end up passing the course. The reason why it works out is because walking is not graduating. You do not get your diploma yet and you are not officially entered in as a graduate in the computers. You are simply participating in a ceremony.

This girl obviously worked her butt off in High School and the only problem is that she got cancer. She just needs the time to do what she did during the previous 3 years except this time there is only one class to take and it is English. I'm sure she will do just fine.

 

[Beev]

I don't see the problem with letting her walk, but I also understand the school's stance. A rule is a rule.

 

[trmiv]

Originally posted by: Common Courtesy
Participating the graduation ceremonies implicitly implies that you have completed the requirements. She has not - she can walk on the next cycle.

When I graduated there were 3 or 4 people who still had summer classes to complete before they were officially graduated. They were allowed to walk with their class. And these dudes were just fuckups, not cancer patients. I see no problem letting her walk with her class since she will be able to finish during the summer.

 

[Aharami]

Originally posted by: Common Courtesy
Participating the graduation ceremonies implicitly implies that you have completed the requirements. She has not - she can walk on the next cycle.

thats BS and cold hearted and you know it. the ceremony is mostly a social event. It has more sentimental value than anything. You want to walk along with all your classmates and friends, not with the class below. Let her participate in the ceremony but dont give her the diploma just yet. She can get the diploma when she finishes her courses. That's what I was allowed to do when I graduated from Rutgers. I was so bogged down with my engineering courses that I forgot to take an elective writing class. The Dean allowed me to walk that year. When I was called up, I received an empty envelope and got my actual diploma after I took the course over the summer. If a big uni like RU can do it, why cant a HS, esp for a girl who's gone thru so much?

The admins are being dicks

 

[R Nilla]

BFD. It's high school. Like the girl walk.

 

[ShotgunSteven]

I have no problem with her walking. I do have a problem with graduation ceremonies for pre-schoolers, kindergarteners, elementary school students moving to junior high school, and junior high students moving to high school.

 

[Gunslinger08]

The graduation ceremony is just a dog and pony show. Who the fuck cares if she walks without having met the requirements? I love schools that have "zero tolerance policies" for everything that are fucking ridiculous.

 

[JeffreyLebowski]

Originally posted by: Anubis

Originally posted by: mugs
We've had this discussion here before... and most people here have no sympathy for people like her.

Personally, I don't see the problem with letting her walk since she'll finish up over the summer. My college allowed that. I see no value in being so legalistic.

(Edited for clarity)

I agree with mugs

My college let people who served in the military walk with their class even tho they weren?t technically graduating because they spent time over seas during college

It?s pretty pathetic that they won?t let her walk, you can bitch all you want ATOT, we know most of you are heartless assholes already

Most of them are heartless bastards on the internet, because in real life they watch Sex in the City and cry when Ole Yeller dies.

 

[dabuddha]

The school is being retarded. It's not like they even hand you your real diploma at graduation.

 

[Anubis]

Originally posted by: dabuddha
The school is being retarded. It's not like they even hand you your real diploma at graduation.

i got my real diploma at both my HS and College graduation

 

[waffleironhead]

BAH! Why is it such a big deal? Its only high school, AKA organized daycare. Just let her walk but give her a blank diploma.

 

[Kev]

Who cares, let her walk. It's a worthless ceremony anyway.

 

[Xavier434]

Originally posted by: Anubis

Originally posted by: dabuddha
The school is being retarded. It's not like they even hand you your real diploma at graduation.

i got my real diploma at both my HS and College graduation

This is extremely rare. Did they also hold the ceremony after the grades for the final semester were all tallied? If not, then they just opted to deal with the hassle that most choose to avoid involving the issues of having a diploma only to find out that you are not actually a graduate because you ended up failing one class or something at the very end.

 

[Krazy4Real]

That's messed up. I don't agree with it at all. They need to let her walk.