Students and families at Garfield, Roosevelt, and Franklin High Schools are devastated to learn that Seattle Public Schools expects their teachers NOT to attend graduation ceremonies.  Afternoon ceremonies for these schools begin at 2pm, which was arranged by the district.  Plans were initially communicated to these schools for an early release that would enable teachers to attend graduation, but that plan has now been cancelled and teachers are being told they must stay in their classrooms at school while afternoon graduation ceremonies are taking place downtown.

Teachers and staff at our high schools are amazing educators, mentors, coaches, and pillars of support to our students.  Many SPS students' post-secondary plans are a direct result of teachers who helped them find their spark, recognized their talents, and even spent personal time advising on next steps or writing recommendation letters. 

Graduation is a time of celebration, reflecting on achievements, and looking forward to future possibilities. It is as much a milestone for our teachers as it is for students and families. Excluding these dedicated educators from graduation ceremonies would result in an incomplete celebration, and does not give due recognition to SPS educators who have played an integral part in the students’ journeys.

We respectfully urge Seattle Public Schools to develop plans that will allow teachers to attend student graduation ceremonies. This could include returning to an early release plan, arranging Central Office staff to cover classrooms during graduation ceremonies, or other solutions.  SPS arranged the graduation schedule and location for this year, and it is their responsibility to ensure that students from schools assigned to a 2pm graduation time have the same experience and recognition, with the presence of their beloved teachers, as students from every other school.

Sign the petition to make this change possible.