The undersigned parents of the Class of 2020 and their students, families, friends, taxpayers, and voters of the Parkway School District hereby demand that the District immediately plan an in person graduation, to be held on the same dates as originally planned for the Family Arena graduations (July 27-28), to be held at each of the respective Parkway high schools.  We propose that the ceremonies be held outdoors in the football stadiums, with appropriate social distancing, masks, limited attendance, and other measures as may be required by law to protect public safety.

In the alternative – if and only if this type of gathering is absolutely prohibited by law – we demand that the “virtual graduation” be rescheduled for no later than August 2, 2020, to allow the Class of 2020 to celebrate with their families and participate meaningfully.

The current plan, which calls for a “virtual graduation” to be held entirely online on August 14-15 – after nearly all college-bound seniors will have left for colleges and universities across the United States – is absolutely unacceptable.  These kids deserve better.  We demand better.

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Respectfully, the Class of 2020 has endured more pain – more heartache – than any other group in this District.  They have had their proms cancelled.  Their final winter sports championships, and entire senior spring sports seasons – cancelled.  Their senior concerts, senior plays, club and team banquets, awards nights, honors nights, after-grad parties – cancelled.  Virtually everything that makes the senior year of high school a wonderful, memorable time has been lost. 

Obviously, no one blames Parkway for the pandemic.  Most of these cancellations and other measures were understandable.  But throughout this painful process, the Class of 2020 has been an afterthought for the Parkway School District. 

The stated mission of the District is “to ensure all students are capable, curious, caring and confident learners who understand and respond to the challenges of an ever-changing world.”  The past four months suggest that the District does not care about the Class of 2020.  Communication has been next to non-existent – while District administration regularly updated families on plans and arrangements for next year, the Class of 2020 was left to languish.  School principals were left to deal with Senior parents and students as best they could, without any real information.

The one thing that our Seniors could hold onto over the past few months has been the prospect of finally walking across the stage, after 13 years of effort, to proudly accept their diplomas; have their names called; be honored and cheered by their classmates and families; and become proud graduates of their high schools.

But even this fundamental rite of passage has been largely ignored by Parkway.  Everyone has known since March that the usual in-person graduation at the Family Arena has been a questionable proposition.  How did Parkway not have a better backup plan in place?  Where is the leadership that responds to the challenges of our ever-changing world?

As far back as April 23, the District mentioned in email that a “virtual graduation” was a possibility.  Although the District solicited student/parent input regarding the after-grad party, the District never surveyed or solicited parent/student input on planning for graduation itself.  We now know that on June 10, the Board of Education quietly approved plans for this “virtual graduation” – again with no input from students or parents.

Adding to our frustration, it was left to the parents of each high school to organize parades to make some effort to honor our Seniors – and not only did parents have to do this without District support, but the District actively objected and attempted to block District employees from attending the events, until the outcry of teachers and students became too loud to ignore.

The events of this past Friday, July 17 were the final straw.  At 3:00 on Friday afternoon – too late in the week for families to even process the information, much less protest it – Parkway sent an email to the Class of 2020 to announce that graduation will not be held at the Family Arena as planned … and that a real, in-person graduation will not be held at all – replaced by a “virtual graduation” that is scheduled to take place after nearly all of the college-bound members of the Class of 2020 will already have left for college.

THIS IS ABSOLUTELY UNACCEPTABLE.  The entire process appears to have been a predetermined outcome.  It is a slap in the face to these Seniors, who have spent 13 years working toward this life achievement.  For some of our Seniors, this will be the last time – the ONLY time – they will have their moment, walking across the stage to accept their diploma. 

This has been a monumental failure of planning and leadership on the part of the District.  We demand better for our students.

Nearly every other school district in St. Louis County has “respond[ed] to the challenges of an ever-changing world” and figured out a way to honor the Class of 2020.  Whether it be “drive-in” graduations at St. Louis Mills, restricted in-person ceremonies, or creative hybrids like “drive-through” graduations, the leaders of other school districts have shown they cared.  They have worked hard, been creative, and found ways to honor their seniors.

We know this is a difficult time for everyone.  We understand that the District is working hard to prepare for the 2021 school year.  But we will not allow our students to be forgotten.  This District employs talented, hard-working, creative decision-makers.  We know you can do better.  There is still plenty of time – all you need is a stage, a microphone, and a willingness to work hard to create one final memory for this class.  And respectfully, to the extent that it is late in the game to plan an outdoor ceremony, that is a problem entirely of the District’s own making.

In closing, this District has enjoyed unprecedented support from its citizens and constituents in recent years.  But that support is not limitless.  This entire process has felt like a breach of trust between the District and the Class of 2020.  For 13 years you told our students to be curious, capable, caring, and confident learners.  The implicit promise was that in exchange, they would be recognized and honored for their accomplishments.  

We are tired, we are angry, and we are watching – as is the Class of 2021.  We implore you to do the right thing and salvage what has been an unending cascade of disappointment for our Seniors. 

Thank you for your consideration.