Letter to the editor: MCS administration did not allow decoration of graduation caps
6-20-24
As the 2025 valedictorian of Manchester High School I was involved in numerous clubs and organizations through school and my community. I will be attending The George Washington University in the fall. I am proud of what I have accomplished during my time here at Manchester and wanted a way to showcase it. Decorating my graduation cap was a way to do that.
Before 2022, before the previous principal (who left the district in March but made the ruling on graduation cap decorations for the class of 2025 before she left) was the principal of Manchester High School, decorating graduation caps was a tradition among Manchester graduates. It wasn’t always done, but to my knowledge, it was never prohibited. Knowing the principal forbade it, I drafted a proposal and presented it to her. Knowing her objections, my proposal included numerous checks and balances as well as pre-approval of any design to ensure compliance with school protocols and levels of decency. Upon request by the Board of Education, I polled the senior class which showed 90% in support of decorating caps for the class, even if they didn’t want to personally decorate their own. I was also able to guarantee the assistance of staff and community members in checking compliance with these procedures on graduation day.
The concept of uniformity was also considered. Dress code for the event is formal for students and staff. All graduates wear the same cap and gown. However, as graduates, we are all individuals. We are graduates of the same school but took different paths to get there. Our decorated caps would highlight our individuality and accomplishments as well as the opportunities our district provided for us.
Her final objection was related to the cost involved. Arts and crafts supplies are extremely cheap and caps can be decorated for less than $10. In contrast, the district required every graduate to buy new gowns costing $80 or more. The gowns cost 1600% more than decoration supplies. Her argument was EXTREMELY flawed.
Even with my proposed solutions to her questions, the principal still refused to allow the Class of 2025 to decorate their cap and never stated why, even after multiple meetings and follow-up presentations. I appealed to the superintendent (who is leaving the district at the end of the month), who supported the proposal but refused to take any action in conflict with the principal’s decision.
I didn’t stop there. I appealed once more to the Board of Education, who listened to my proposal but had a few questions and asked me to return with a follow-up presentation. Unfortunately, upon my return, a new school board was in place. The majority dismissed all of my work and the consideration by the previous board without giving me a fair shot.
Our administration is supposed to support its students. Yet the former principal, outgoing superintendent, and the Manchester School Board failed their students. They went against the wishes of the senior class, the staff, and community supporters, showing how their loyalties do not align with the students, but rather themselves.
I am proud of my acceptance into The George Washington University, a D1 school, where the acceptance rate is below 50%. I wanted my classmates to have the opportunity to do the same. We worked tirelessly to get to where we are today, and not being able to show it is unacceptable. Below is a picture of my decorated cap that I will proudly display at my graduation party. Although both those administrators have moved on from Manchester, I hope this opens your eyes to the administration at Manchester Community Schools and invites you to stand up against oppressive authority like those I have witnessed.
Lila Harvey
MCS Class of 2025
Views expressed in any Letter to the Editor are always exclusively those of the author. Do you have something you want Manchester to know? Send your Letter to the Editor to themanchestermirror@gmail.com.
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