Parents in Jefferson County are asking school leaders to reconsider current graduation plans for seniors as COVID-19 continues to put the brakes on large gatherings.
On Thursday, the Jefferson County School Board met to discuss plans they had sent around to parents.
The current plans do not include a formal ceremony that would include parents in-person. Instead, seniors will be assigned a date between May 18 to May 20 to come to Jefferson County High School to pick up their diploma over a virtual graduation. Students will receive caps and gowns and have video and pictures taken of them receiving their diplomas from administrators. Then, on May 23 there will be a Senior Graduation parade that families can attend.
Much like Knox County's tentative graduation plans that did not include families, the news upset many parents in Jefferson County wanting to be there to support their children.
A group of parents have organized a petition to JCS director Shane Johnston asking to postpone the 2020 Graduation to a later date to allow them to attend should new cases of coronavirus subside enough to safely allow it. More than 670 people have signed the petition so far.
"These students deserve to be recognized with a formal ceremony in their honor, as all other graduates have in years past. Even if they have to wait months until it is safe to do so," the petition reads. "Don't let the Class of 2020 be the only class in history to end their High School career walking down an empty stage in an empty auditorium."
At Thursday's meeting, school leaders said they can't rule anything out yet, but said they also can't postpone the decision too far down the road.
School leaders said they would talk to several seniors through video conference Monday to hear what they have to say.