ICYMI: Wayne Hills Celebrates Graduation Virtually

WAYNE, NJ — Wayne Hills High School students celebrated their graduation virtually after a week in which graduations in the township became a political issue, when Mayor Christopher Vergano was sued by Gov. Phil Murphy to stop the township-facilitated graduations.

Unlike Wayne Valley, who dismissed the mandate and hosted their own in-person ceremony, Wayne Hills celebrated as many other schools in the state have, virtually.

In a ceremony, streamed on YouTube, which lasted over an hour and a half, members of the graduating class of 2020 spoke, and were honored in a way they likely didn't expect.

Watch here:

Other ways to celebrate students have been organized as well, as a drive-by celebration of Wayne Valley spring athletes will take place on Tuesday.

The graduation ceremony comes after Vergano and the township were sued by Gov. Phil Murphy, and a Mercer County Superior Court judge issued an injunction against Wayne Township to put a halt on the township-facilitated graduations for Wayne Valley and Wayne Hills High School.

Vergano addressed the lawsuit, and subsequent ruling, in a letter to the township.

"Throughout, our only goal was to assist the children of our community in having a meaningful celebration. This was never about me, as the Mayor, the Board of Education or the Governor. This was and still remains only about one thing…the Wayne Valley and Wayne Hills Classes of 2020. Unfortunately, the courts have ruled, and the celebrations will not take place this week," he wrote.

The Board of Education has scheduled a graduation ceremony for July 30, and Vergano spoke to criticism levied at the board for the timing of the graduation.

"For those of you bashing the Board of Education for not having a graduation yet: their hands are tied. There's nothing they can do," he said.

According to TapInto, the decision to halt graduations came after Murphy had mentioned the township, and the planned graduations, during a news conference last week, using the opportunity to remind people that in-person ceremonies are not allowed until July.

"I know Wayne was looking to do a graduation ceremony next week. The good news is it appears to be organized in the way we want it; the bad news is we are not allowing them until July 6," said Murphy.

Vergano announced the guidelines for graduations on June 11, which he said the town would be facilitating.

"We have agreed to step in and hold graduation ceremonies since the Board of Education is unable to due to the fact that the state-established guidelines make it virtually impossible to hold a meaningful graduation ceremony," said Vergano, in a June 9 letter to the township.

"We are acting in their place because we can and, the bottom line is our graduates, who have been working toward this day since kindergarten, deserve it."

The graduations were scheduled for June 18 and June 19 prior to news of the cancellation.