CAPE BOARD MEMBER UNHAPPY WITH CHANGE IN PRACTICE OVER GRADUATION

Cape Girardeau Board of Education member Bob Fox is unhappy with a decision allowing seniors who have not completed requirements to participate in Central High school's graduation ceremony Friday.

"I wasn't happy with the decision and I was not happy with the way it was made," said Fox.

"I have a problem with the way it was done quickly and way it was done individually. This is not what's best for the kid. He's been rewarded for failing," Fox said.

Superintendent Neyland Clark, at the direction of members of the Board of Education, last Friday made a decision that seniors within one unit of graduation, who can prove they are pursuing that final credit, could participate in Central's graduation ceremony.

This changed a long-standing practice at the high school and angered Principal Dan Milligan. Milligan left his office Friday, turned in his keys and did not return to work this week. Technically, his contract with the school district has already ended.

No school district policy exists concerning the graduation ceremony. Clark and board member Kathy Swan know the student whose circumstances prompted the change.

Fox was out of town when the decision was made and was not consulted.

"Even though it's not really a written policy, it's a practice that's been done a long time," said Fox. "We have a policy that a student who graduates early, someone who excels, cannot come back for graduation or prom."

Fox said his telephone has been busy with calls from district patrons also unhappy with the decision.

"There seems to be a prevailing distrust of the administration and the board in the past," he said.

Fox feared this distrust would jeopardize Tuesday's election outcome.

Superintendent Clark said Tuesday the graduation change will stand.

"As time goes on, I feel stronger and stronger it was a good decision," he said.

"The story implied we were playing politics. What we have done is take the politics out of it. In the past it has been who's who. Now we are setting a criteria," said Clark, referring to a Saturday story in the Southeast Missourian.

Fox questioned the propriety of school board members making decisions by phone, without holding public meetings.

"To have an individual contact board members over the telephone and conduct business in a closed manner, it's not right," he said.

"If Dr. Clark makes this decision, it's one thing. But if the board directs the decision ... They can't do that."

Clark said the telephone calls to board members did not poll for votes.

"We were asking the opinion of board members," said the superintendent. "There is no policy on this issue. It was an administrative directive. We were moving philosophically in a direction the board may or may not want."

Kim Pulley, student body president at Central, wrote in a Wednesday letter to the editor: "The graduation ceremony is designed to honor those students who fulfilled what is expected. Allowing students who have not met requirements to participate takes away from the significance of the ceremony.

"The timing of the decision is bad, but this decision would be unfair anytime that it was made. Students need to learn that they cannot make it through life by having connections and avoiding deadlines and expectations.

Pulley said, "The real question is, `Is commencement a ceremony to honor graduates, or is it a photo opportunity?'"