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Parents protest cancellation of Marshall sixth-grade promotion at Eastlake Church; board urged to reconsider
Summary
Multiple families from Thurgood Marshall and other schools told the CVESD board officials canceled planned promotions at Eastlake Church auditorium after a single complaint, asking the district to reconsider and noting logistical and emotional impacts for about 79 students scheduled to graduate June 4.
Parents from Thurgood Marshall Elementary and other schools packed the board meeting to protest the district's decision to move a sixth-grade promotion ceremony from Eastlake Church auditorium to school campuses.
At the podium, several parents said Eastlake Church's auditorium historically served as a neutral, secular venue for large school events and was chosen for capacity and AV needs, not religious programming. "This isn't about religion. This is about logistics, a community space venue offering large seating capacity, audio and visual equipment," parent Felix Perez told the board. "By reversing the decision based on the concerns of one family without broader community input, the district has effectively overridden the voices of many other families."
Jamie Wilson, a Marshall parent, said the venue was secured a year in advance, was offered free to the school, and that moving the ceremony with little notice (graduation date June 4) forces parents and the PTC to rework plans on short notice. Parents emphasized the emotional impact on students and the loss of a dignified, celebratory setting.
District staff and trustees acknowledged the concerns and explained the district's decision-making process. The record shows the district cited a complaint as prompting a review; parents said there were no religious symbols or programming planned in the auditorium during school events. Trustees asked staff to consider alternatives and to provide more transparent, community-engaged decision-making for similar venue choices in the future.
No formal reversal was voted on during the meeting; parents asked for the board to reconsider the venue decision and for the district to adopt a clearer, more inclusive process for off-campus venues.
Sources: Public comment at May 28 board meeting (multiple speakers representing Marshall families). Ending: Board asked staff to follow up; parents said they will return if no change is made.
