RACINE — When Horlick High School senior class president and co-valedictorian Kinzie Reischl heard over the weekend about Racine Unified’s new plan for drive-through graduation ceremonies, she was shocked.
The district had initially planned, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, to hold virtual ceremonies for its five high schools on the original graduation dates, June 5-7 and then to host in-person events in early August.
On Friday, ahead of the holiday weekend, Racine Unified Superintendent Eric Gallien sent a communication to families announcing that both the virtual and in-person ceremonies were canceled to be replaced with drive-through ceremonies July 9-11. He added that plans could continue to change between now and then.
“In Racine, we continue to see an increase in COVID-19 cases,” Gallien said in an email to The Journal Times. “While we would all prefer to hold a traditional in-person graduation ceremony, we must make the decision that best protects the health and safety of not only our students but our staff and families as well. Our high school staff have worked very hard to develop a plan to create a meaningful opportunity for students to drive up to their school, walk across a small stage, receive their diploma and take photos.”
When Reischl first heard about the ceremony changes, she thought the information she had received must be inaccurate.
“We know things have been bad, but they can’t just cancel graduation,” she said.
‘Doesn’t feel right’
Taylor Knaus, a senior at Case High School, was also upset when she heard about the change in plans and decided to try to do something about it.
“It feels very impersonal,” Knaus said of the drive-through plan. “It just doesn’t feel right.”
Knaus was a vocal member of the girls swim team that protested to the Racine Unified School Board for a replacement pool when the more than 50-year-old pool at Case had to be closed in the summer of 2018. A $23 million aquatic center is now set to replace it, and to serve other schools.
Knaus emailed Unified officials, expressing her dismay with the new graduation plan and providing suggestions for alternatives.
She received an emailed response from Jody Bloyer, Unified’s deputy chief of secondary transformation.
“We have reviewed your ideas and suggestions, however, based on what we know right now and the many conversations we have had with our local health departments, we do not believe we can safely coordinate an in-person ceremony,” Bloyer said.
Bloyer went on to say that the district is working to make the drive-through event the best it can be, knowing that graduation is important to seniors and their families.
Unified Families United
Knaus, Reischl and a group of other students from Unified high schools who believe that the seniors deserve an in-person graduation ceremony have formed a group called Unified Families United to try to persuade Unified to change its plans. If the members cannot get the administration on board, it plans to coordinate its own ceremonies for the five high schools. Around 40 members of the group met via a Zoom call on Tuesday to discuss ideas and plans.
Knaus hopes to have separate in-person ceremonies on Aug. 1 at Case High School’s Hammes Field, although group members suggested other locations such as parks as well. She and the members of UFU believe this would allow room for the graduates to be spaced six feet apart and would give them an opportunity to experience commencement with their classmates, listening to the speeches together as a group and to watch each other walk across the stage.
“It’s not impossible for us to sit six feet apart and have our graduation,” Reischl said.
Both Knaus and Reischl agreed that safety was important and suggested that all graduates wear masks, having a barrier to separate those on the stage, to have family groups sit six feet apart and to disinfect the seats between ceremonies.
“I’m just disappointed in RUSD that they couldn’t do this for us,” Knaus said.
Reischl said she still wants to try to work with the Unified administration to create a plan that will be safe and special.
“I want them to know we’re not trying to go against them (Unified administration) in any way, we’re just trying to work with them together to create something that would be super meaningful for the seniors,” Reischl said.
Members of the group are looking for community support in coordinating graduation ceremonies and for seniors from Park High School, The REAL School and Walden III to join in. Those interested can find the Unified Families United group on Facebook.
This article has been edited to reflect the correct cost of the Aquatic Center, $23 million.