Thousands Back Upper Moreland Students' Petition To Remember Late Classmate

She may be gone, but students are ensuring that she's never forgotten.

Students at Upper Moreland High School say that Principal Joe Carracappa denied a request for a moment of silence at commencement in honor a classmate of theirs who passed away while in elementary school.

The student, Becky Boucher, engaged in a hard-fought battle with bone cancer, before she eventually died while in 5th grade.

Becky was a part of the class of 2017 that will graduate from Upper Moreland this June.

Students said that Carracappa didn't want other students to be disrespectful, and this was the reason for denying the request.

Patch has reached out to Upper Moreland for comment on this situation.

A total of 1,590 people had signed the petition as of Thursday afternoon. The petition set a goal of 2,500.

"We have grown up, but she has stayed in all of our hearts," wrote her friend Adrienne Melendez, who started the petition. "Whether you knew her, knew of her, or came to Upper Moreland after fifth grade, it is important to many that we have a respectful moment of silence in honor of her memory.

The proposed moment of silence would be just 10-15 seconds long.

To view the petition and to learn more, see here.

Image via Change.org