For many years I, as well as many other parents from Isaac Young Middle School, have requested and demanded that the graduation ceremony for the 8th grade be moved to a comparable time slot just like Albert Leonard School’s graduation. You see, the IYMS graduation is always at 9AM in the middled of the week. The Albert Leonard graduation is at 5PM; the NRHS graduation is at 5PM.
While a Board member, I requested that the district look at the possibility of alternating times or changing them. They always said they would get back to me. It’s been a couple of years and Dr. Massimo has not gotten back to me. There was supposed to be polling done by the IYMS principal, but who knows if that ever happened. No letter was ever sent out to the parents. Just like the letter never went out apologizing for having two separate grading policies at our middle schools.
Doesn’t the district understand that the overwhelming majority of IYMS parents are working class parents, just like the ALMS parents. At 9AM, most of us are working. We cannot often times take vacation days because we don’t have one – taking a day off means not getting paid. Mr. Organisciak knows this! The FUSE union knows this. They have not done anything about this. I can only conclude that the opinions of parents at IYMS means nothings. This disrespect raises critical issues of race and nationality. Since the school has never provided a response, what else can we think at this point. Having all graduations at 5PM would be helpful and respectful, particularly middle school graduations. Very sad!
