Mother upset over cancellation of kindergarten graduation

It’s graduation season in the Borderland and it’s not just for high school or college graduates, kindergartners are getting into the act as well!

A mother reached out to ABC-7, saying she is upset her son’s school, Rusk Elementary, canceled the kindergarten graduation ceremony this year.

Joanna Greenwood took to Facebook with her frustrations:

“I find it sad that #episd took away the wearing of a ‘cap and gown’ and calling it ‘graduation’ for kindergarten this year without informing parents. The response I received from #episd is that they want to ‘save that for high school.’ Seems like a ridiculous issue to focus on when many many other issues exist within the district.”

EPISD spokeswoman Melissa Martinez told ABC-7 “There is no state law mandating there must be a graduation for every grade, the school districts leave it up to the individual schools to decide if they want to participate or not. That decision is left up to the principal of each individual school.”

Though no cap or gowns were worn, Rusk Elementary did have an award ceremony parents were welcomed to attend.

Martinez further stated some schools believe having a graduation for kindergarten diminishes from the accomplishments of those who graduate high school have attained.

Some parents would disagree though. Christa Martinez, who’ son Julian just completed kindergarten at Mitzi Bond, told ABC-7, “Kids are so young, I mean in kindergarten what are they like 5? It’s like something they probably won’t remember, but it’s more for the parents, those memories, the pictures and for them to say like ‘my son or my daughter did it.'”