Last April, NVD student Jordan Falco took away his own life after years of struggling with depression. This June, the class of 2021, which included him, is graduating and family asked to leave an empty seat for him at graduation. Despite their wishes, the administration refused to comply without explanation. When pushed for a response, principal Timothy Gouraige claimed a memorial during graduation would “set a bad precedent”. All members of the community, including the students, would like nothing more than an empty seat saved and his name to be called out with the rest of the class.