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Parents and students press Lewis Central board for 'Save A Seat' policy; administration cites expert guidance and will draft policy
Summary
At the May 4 board meeting, a mother and student speakers asked the Lewis Central board to adopt a policy reserving an empty seat at graduation to honor deceased seniors. The administration said expert guidance discourages an empty chair and pledged a draft policy and staff workshop for June.
Carla Baker, the mother of the late Lewis Central senior Hayden Baker, told the school board Monday that prior arrangements to honor her son at graduation were changed by school administrators and urged the district to adopt a clear policy for how to recognize students who die before commencement.
"He not only earned his chair and diploma," Baker said, describing earlier conversations in which she said school staff agreed the district would include a seat with gown, a photo in the slideshow and a posthumous diploma. "I was told at that time that the school would likely be glad to honor these wishes and would get back to me." She said she was later told those plans could not be honored and that the administration proposed flowers and a special announcement in the commencement program instead.
Emma Bruno, a…
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