Stokes school board hears gripes on graduation

West, South Stokes high schools move ceremony; parents wanted a say

GERMANTON (Winston-Salem Journal) - Parents of students graduating from West and South Stokes high schools told school-board members last night that they were upset not only that graduations won't be held at the schools but also by how the board handled the decision.

After graduation last year, some people complained about the heat and urged school officials to find a way to hold graduations inside.

With that in mind, school officials asked this year's seniors whether they wanted to hold graduation at their school or at First Assembly of God in Winston-Salem.

Because the days that First Assembly was available were limited, that also meant moving up graduation by a week to June 6.

The seniors at North Stokes voted to keep graduation at their school. At West and South Stokes, the seniors voted for First Assembly, and at its January meeting, the members of the Stokes County Board of Education voted to hold graduations for West and South Stokes there.

During the public-comments portion of the board's meeting at Germanton Elementary School last night, nine parents expressed dismay at the decision. Other parents in the audience clapped after each parent's remarks.