Buena Vista schools in Michigan shut down abruptly in the face of a fiscal crisis, even though the teachers in the district offered to work for free.
There is no indication that Governor Rick Snyder will do anything to help the district.
In most states, the state government is responsible to be sure that all children have access to public education. Apparently not in Michigan.
Students are worried that they won’t graduate, won’t have a degree. What will happen to them?
The mostly black, mostly poor district was stranded when the auto industry folded.
A fourth-grade teacher asked a plaintive question:
“It’s truly unbelievable that we cannot educate our children,” she said. “So many people have fought and died in this country for the right for all children to go to school together. We’ve gone backwards in time.”
Diane Ravitch's blog 
There was a graduation here already in Warrenton, MO. See: http://www.warrencountyrecord.com/local_news/communities/article_adc122bc-b8ba-11e2-87c2-001a4bcf887a.html
Mother’s Wish Granted
Posted: Thursday, May 9, 2013 10:11 am | Updated: 11:07 am, Thu May 9, 2013 Warren County Record.
Mother’s Wish Granted
By Derrick Forsythe, Record Sports Editor| 0 comments
Watching your child graduate from high school is a coveted moment for any mother.
For one local mom, it was her last dying wish.
When Tammy Rogers’ two-year battle with colon cancer took a turn for the worse in mid-April, her family feared she wouldn’t survive long enough to watch the youngest of her two children receive his diploma.
“It was very important for my wife to see our son graduate before she passed away,” acknowledged Danny Rogers.
And an unprecedented move by the Warrenton High School administration helped make it possible.
On April 16, at the request of the family, counselor Tonya McDaniel approached principal Jeremy Way about holding an impromptu ceremony for Chris Rogers.
Without hesitation, she says, a decision was made to expedite the process. Later that afternoon, five representatives from the school district joined around 30 relatives and friends at the Rogers’ home.
“It was a wonderful surprise,” said Danny. “Beyond what I ever expected.”
A ceremony was held in the foyer at Tammy’s bedside, with teachers clad in traditional black gowns sharing encouraging words and speeches about Chris’ accomplishments.“It was very moving,” Danny recalled. “I don’t think there was a dry eye in the house.”
Assistant Principal Sharyl Kelsch presented Chris with his diploma following the playing of “Pomp and Circumstance.
”He was also awarded the honor of Most Outstanding Vocal Music student from teacher Jarrod Hendricks.
“It was one of the coolest things I’ve ever been a part of,” said Chris. “It made me proud to be from Warrenton, knowing our school would go out of its way to do something like that for us.”
McDaniel says she understood the significance of the circumstance and acted out of compassion, although the school had never made such an exception in the past.
“Who cares if it had ever been done before,” asserted McDaniel. “We knew that’s what we needed to do. It was the simplest thing we could have done.”
The Rogers’ family expressed sincere gratitude toward the school for facilitating the ceremony and also supplying Chris with a complimentary prom ticket and yearbook.
“Honestly, it meant the world to me,” expressed Chris.
While he will also participate in the actual commencement on May 18, Chris says allowing his mother to be a part of the experience helped provide closure.
“It made my mom feel like her work was complete,” he acknowledged. “She told me she was proud of me.”
Tammy passed away a week later at home. “She put up a fight,” said Chris. “That’s for sure.”
WHS is the school where I teach. I was going to post it under the Gates entry and comment “How are you going to measure this, Bill?”
Exacrtly what I thought when I started reading it Duane.
Go to the site for picture!
Thanks Duane! These are the things that make us human and inspire us to teach. It is an act of love we strive to share.
Oh, please! We all know that public school teachers don’t care about kids–we’re all in it for the money…and the job is SO easy–the WHOLE summer off!