Parents and students press Lewis Central board for 'Save A Seat' policy; administration cites expert guidance and will draft policy

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 Lewis Central High School senior and organizer of the student-run Save A Seat petition, told the board the petition has more than 480 responses, mostly from students. "Save A Seat was purely student driven," she said, adding the initiative is meant "to embody student support and start a tradition for students taken before this huge milestone in life to have a seat reserved." Bruno said the intent is to recognize achievements, not to "glorify death."

Board President (addressed in the meeting as president) said the remarks were moving but raised a safety concern: empty chairs at graduation can be triggering for some students. He recounted conversations with parents and outside groups and said the district must prioritize student safety.

Superintendent (administration) told the board he had consulted the National Center for School Crisis and Bereavement and read from guidance advising that an empty chair at graduation is "not recommended," because it can focus attention on how a student died rather than what they accomplished. He said Lewis Central administration has followed a consistent approach in past cases and recommended the board rely on expert guidance to make a decision that protects all students.

The superintendent also said a draft policy has been prepared and returned with suggested revisions and that the administration plans to present that policy as a first reading in June. He said the district will also host a short workshop for staff on grief and trauma this summer so administrators and the board can make an informed, consistent policy decision.

Several community members suggested alternatives that would be less likely to trigger students — ribbons, lapel pins, distributing parts of a welding jacket as mementos, or a special recognition section in the program. A board member offered to make a small donation so students would have a tangible remembrance without introducing an item likely to cause distress.

The board did not change graduation practices at Monday’s meeting. Instead, members directed staff to continue work on a written policy that would standardize how the district honors students who die before graduation, consistent with expert guidance and with an eye toward equitable application for future cases.

Next steps: administration will bring a draft policy to the board for first reading in June and staff will convene a short summer training on grief/bereavement guidance before the policy is finalized.