Grade 8 students at Elora Public School held a walkout Thursday to protest cancellation of the class Quebec trip and a decision to host graduation during the day rather than in the evening.
Students say they are frustrated they will not be able to travel to Quebec or have what some are calling a “proper graduation.”
“All of my friends and I would look at the Grade 8s last year and think that’s going to be us next year,” Grade 8 student Annie Farquhar said in an email to the Advertiser.
“They got to be on all the Sports teams and got to go to Quebec and have a proper graduation. I’ve been waiting for Quebec since Grade 4 … and now we don’t get to do it.”
Student Rachel Groskopfs agreed.
“We were all looking forward to the Quebec trip and proper graduation and then this happens,” she wrote. “Great way to ruin our year.”
Principal Nelson Keene declined a request by an Advertiser reporter on the day of the protest to talk with students and possibly take photos of the protest. The reporter was told to contact a school board spokesperson.
However, earlier in the day, the Elora school welcomed the same reporter to an assembly during which the school received an award.
The Advertiser obtained a copy of a letter Keene later sent to parents about the student protest.
“I met with each Grade 8 class after first break to listen in more detail to their concerns and worries and to explain why the trip will not happen,” Keene said in the letter.
“We also talked about finding a way to have the graduation dance at night and possibly the ceremony at night as well. I also agreed that I will visit each Grade 8 class each week to give updates re: the graduation, etc. In fact a group of Grade 8 students and parents have agreed to assist with the dance.”
The time change for the graduation is due to the teachers union’s recent decision not to have members return to extracurricular activities.
“I explained to our Grade 8s that their message was clear and that exercising their democratic right to protest is acknowledged and respected,” Keene wrote to parents, adding students were not disciplined for protesting.
