This petition is in light of Broward County’s decision to hold an in-person graduation for the class of 2021.  The Seniors of Broward County C/O 2020 had their senior year ripped away from them without warning. We were forced to have a virtual graduation, which consisted of only our senior picture. For the last twelve years of school, we all have dreamt of the day we would finally get to walk across the stage and receive our diploma. However, the class of 2020 never got the chance to fulfill that dream.

     Virtual graduation does not give us the appropriate closure that we deserve in closing our last chapter of high school. In my mind, along with thousands of other Broward County C/O 2020 graduates, I know that I graduated high school however, I do not have the physical and emotional closure you receive from having an in-person graduation. For a Senior, It's a rite of passage in their life that comes along with a graduation ceremony. At times I still feel like I am a high school student because I have not had that closure that previous and future seniors had and will have.

     As of February 24th, 2021, it was announced by Superintendent Robert Runcie that the class of 2021 will be having an in-person graduation. As excited that I am for them, it makes me feel sad for the Broward County Seniors C/O 2020 because we did not have a graduation. The class of 2020 as a whole feels as though we've been forgotten about in terms of our achievements and accomplishments. We feel as though we had one of our greatest High School moments taken away from us, which is to be able to walk across the stage at our Senior Graduation Ceremony. Those are moments that last a lifetime. 

     We understand that the pandemic has been out of our control and nobody knew the severity of it and the impact it would have on the world. We also understand that it wasn't anyone's intention to push us aside and make us feel left out however, we do feel as though we have been forgotten and just left with a virtual graduation in the attempt to suit our graduation needs, even though it didn't work.

     According to this letter from Superintendent Robert Runcie, he stated that "Hearing a traditional graduation is your preference, we considered moving the date to as late as August but realized this decision would still not ensure we would know if restrictions would be lifted..." This quote from the letter sounds like Robert Runcie is telling his seniors that he would try to give them a traditional graduation in August after their virtual graduation however after he stated this nothing has been followed through.

Superintendent Robert Runcie's Letter: https://www.browardschools.com/cms/lib/FL01803656/Centricity/domain/14019/headlines%20and%20happenings/Superintendent%20Letter%20to%20Class%20of%202020.pdf

Please sign this petition in hopes that the Seniors of Broward County C/O 2020 can have a proper in-person graduation ceremony in the same respects as they're doing for the class of 2021. This will bring a lot of closure that we need.

Thank you for supporting the Broward County Seniors C/O 2020

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