UPDATE: The principal at Lord Beaverbrook High School has decided to reverse the controversial graduation policy.
CALGARY – Students at a southeast high school are upset with a new policy that prevents some teens from crossing the stage at their graduation ceremonies.
The rule states that students have to achieve at least 50 per cent in all Semester 1 and 2 courses by the time a list of graduating students is posted—usually about three weeks before graduation.
The new policy means even students who meet the requirements to graduate could still be banned from participating in the ceremony if they failed a class.
“I’m pissed,” says student Angela Walgren. “No one deserves to not walk the stage, even though they have all the credentials to graduate.”
The rule is one of five which students have to comply with, along with being in “regular attendance.”
Student Louisa Lawrence was so outraged by the new rules that she’s created an online petition calling for a change to the provision.
“For students such as myself who have worked hard over the past 3 years, this policy is a stab in the back,” says Lawrence in a statement on the petition. “We work on homework, attend summer school and spend extra hours after school to make a difference in our school community only to be denied the right to attend our own graduation ceremony for failing ANY class in our final year.
“Our school motto is ‘Everything to the best of one’s ability,’” she continues. “Sometimes 49% is the best of someone’s ability. School pride is not for the few, it is for everyone, especially on their graduation day!”
In a document outlining the new policies, the school says the rules were set to “influence the culture of student achievement and expectation for student performance at Lord Beaverbrook High School.”
So far, the online petition has over 1,150 signatures from supporters.
Global News attempted to contact principal Jim Simpson, but he would not take our calls.
Statement from the Calgary Board of Education regarding Lord Beaverbrook’s new graduation policies, as posted by petition organizer Louisa Lawrence:
“Lord Beaverbrook High School has established new policy for student participation in the graduation ceremony. The policy outlines expectations for students and sets a standard which students can achieve. The school wants to provide every opportunity for students to be successful, to improve the percentage of students earning a high school diploma or certificate of high school achievement, and increase the school’s high school completion rate based on a three year average. Students have a better chance of achieving their goals beyond high school if they achieve good results while still in school. At all CBE schools, we believe it is important to create the conditions and environment to allow students to achieve their full potential. Since establishing the policy, school administration continues to listen to students, parents, and staff regarding student achievement and to learn about the progress students are making to achieve the set standards.
There are many reasons why students in high school do not achieve 50 per cent in a course. At Lord Beaverbrook, in circumstances where students have not achieved 50 per cent on either a diploma or non-diploma course(s), every effort will be made to learn of the reasons why the student has not achieved a passing grade. School administration has committed to meet with teachers to speak about the individual students who did not achieve 50 per cent in a particular course. This will be followed by a discussion with the individual student, and their parents, or guardians. The outcome of that discussion will vary depending upon the reasons why the student did not achieve 50 per cent. These discussions will be done well in advance of any decision made by school administration regarding the eligibility of a student to participate in the graduation ceremony. Decisions regarding student eligibility will be made by school administration on an individual basis, using all of the standards set in the policy, and not focusing on one specific standard over another. The school recognizes that each student is unique and deserves individual attention and consideration.”
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