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Sunday, May 24, 2015

A Viewer Writes: What say you?

Here's a recent news photo from Virginia of kindergartners at their "graduation." How ridiculous. Lots of folks would disagree with me, but I feel like you gotta save the full cap & gown treatment for high school and college. Also, point of fact, a kindergartner isn't "graduating" from anything - they're certainly not finishing their grade school education, but are merely moving onto first grade! Silly to heap the pomp and circumstance on kids this early. Give them a bona fide commencement ceremony when they've earned it, after 12 years of school and an eye toward adulthood. This is that same helicopter-parent attitude that puts a participation trophy in the hands of every kid who plays youth sports.

18 comments:

Anonymous said...

I love the pre-K, Kindergarten graduations! At this age, they are innocent and proud of their accomplishments. They are beginning to read, after learning their alphabets and sounds of the letters. They have learned to write their numbers, their names, and have learned to be social. They have enjoyed going to school, perhaps had a crush on their teacher, learned to be a bit independent. They have learned to interact with others, more adults then their family circle. Yes, some of these children have known day care since birth, but not all of them.
Yes, when they graduated from high school, they have truly accomplished many things in life. They are also not the same innocent cherubs they were when four or five years old.
Of course, this is my opinion, I loved watching our children cross the stage as Kindergarten graduates, High School graduates, College graduates, and accomplishing their Masters as well. I enjoyed each event for the accomplishments they made at that age. I enjoy seeing my grandchildren accomplish feats at each event in their life. These are called memories!
Thank you for allowing me to voice my opinion. It is interesting to read others opinions.

Anonymous said...

12:47 you nailed it!!!!! and you made my day!!!

Anonymous said...

Of course for some of them it may be the only graduation they ever have.

Anonymous said...

nowadays they graduate many times before hs graduation

some may even make it to hs.

it does lower the value of any graduation


but then again many sports for young kids dont keep score and everyone gets a trophy for participating

Anonymous said...

I think with everything else in the world we need to worry about, this is small beans. Some of our children won't make it out of elementary school because they will be shot in drive by or by another kid who got a hold of a gun left lying around by their druggie parent, be beaten to death, get killed by a drunk driver, accidentally OD on his brother's heroine, etc. If we can figure out how to take care of these crimes so all of our children make it out of grade school, THEN we can worry about who gets to wear a cap and gown.

Anonymous said...

My school always did a cap and gown ceremony for kindergarten "graduation" and I was there 40 years ago.

Anonymous said...

Don't be such a grouch!!

Anonymous said...

I think it's ridiculous to do graduations until you really do graduate. If you have a ceremony at least don't call it a graduation and don't use caps and gowns.

Anonymous said...

It won't be long before every student gets a diploma just like in sports where everyone get a trophy.

Anonymous said...

Please enlighten us to one league that you know of that does not keep score. I hear this frequently but have never actually seen one. I have seen in gym classes where they play sports and no score is taken because it's for fun.

Anonymous said...

241 can just look at worcester county rec leagues, i ref there and trust me, they do not keep score because the childrens feelings could get hurt and ruin them for life

Anonymous said...

I graduated high school in 1982 and never heard of having any other earlier graduation ceremonies. I'm not sure when this trend started, but it seems a little silly to me. I didn't have a kindergarten or middle school graduation and turned out just fine.

Anonymous said...

i think when you r released from eci there should be a cap and gown ceremony before u r sent to salisbury

Anonymous said...

This person is probably bitter because he/she was too stupid and was held back....Let the kids enjoy their accomplishments.

Anonymous said...

Are you e people nuts ? This is a complete waste of money that could go for oh I don't know maybe some supplies the teachers are always complaining about that they don't have because of Lack of funds. This is nothing more then liberal (it's for the children bs) plain and simple. I would rather my child have full access to supplies to further his or her education then blowing the money on gowns for which Im sure the schools pay for. What a waist and to see people Condone this waist is just plain baffling.

Anonymous said...

Right after the ceremony was the Kindergarten Prom at Chuckie Cheese's. Limos lined the block.

Anonymous said...

The caps and gowns are overkill. Who provides them? Surely not all families are capable of purchasing them.

Anonymous said...

The caps and gowns get re-used each year. The child only keeps his tassel with the year on it.