With around 200 captains from other schools behind her, Emily Cox is leading a campaign calling on the NSW government to allow COVID-safe formals and graduations | JordsBaker
“How can people in clubs and pubs and stadiums meet together, but we can’t have a formal with people we see every day?” said Ms Cox, the captain of Jamison High School in Penrith. “It’s upsetting that we can’t celebrate 13 years of schooling with people we’ve spent our lifetime with.”
They could run the event outdoors on school grounds as a picnic, or hire a venue - as allowed for weddings - in which everyone agrees to sit down. “Students could be dropped off at an assigned period,” to reduce contact between parents, read one suggestion. Some have suggested staged graduations, involving smaller groups of students and one masked, temperature-checked parent each. In the United States, some schools are holding graduations at drive-ins.
“Why is it good enough for us to be allowed at school with our grade and teachers during the term but not for one extra evening?” one talking point read.Laine Fox, the captain of Kingswood High School, said the students would like to meet with NSW Chief Health Officer Kerry Chant to find a solution in the same way that private school heads were able to meet and discuss their sporting competitions.
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