PHOTOS: Beaumont USD Students Take A Stand For Grad Ceremonies

BEAUMONT, CA — A small group of Beaumont Unified School District students and parents gathered at district headquarters Monday to peacefully protest the decision to postpone 2020 graduation ceremonies amid coronavirus concerns.

Holding signs with statements like "To Walk We Must Stand," the students are hoping they can overturn a verdict decided by BUSD parents, students, and administrators to push off graduation ceremonies to late fall.

In the interim, the district is planning a "2020 Senior Celebration Vehicle Procession" for a yet-to-be determined date, and separately there are plans for student pictures with caps and gowns, according to a district statement released Friday.

But the students who gathered Monday felt shortchanged.

The revised graduation plans came about after virtual meetings hosted by the district over the last several weeks. As part of the meetings, a committee comprised of high school principals, senior students, and district administrators "reviewed feedback from 336 seniors and 266 senior parents who shared 535 thoughts in a ThoughtExchange survey over a two-week period," according to the district.

The feedback's overall theme was for graduation ceremonies to be held at a later date, when it's safer to celebrate with friends and loved ones, rather than being cancelled or held virtually, according to the district.

"We understand the importance of recognizing our senior students and their hard work at the end of the school year," the district said.

The district plans to send out communication and/or a video to articulate the specific components of decisions made regarding graduation, according to the BUSD statement.