April 21, 2005 – Education officials provided no apologies Thursday to Charlotte Amalie High School seniors and their parents who had protested in the rain outside of Government House on Wednesday evening.
The group of about 150 protesters had converged at Government house to show their objections to what they called a change in the graduation date from June 5 to June 19. (See Protestors March on Government House after High School Graduation Date is Changed").
No one came out to address their concerns Wednesday evening, and Education officials had no positive news for the protesters Thursday, either.
"The June 19 date will remain," said Juel Anderson, Education Department public relations officer. "We had four make-up days, which pushed the graduation back."
Anderson said students are required by law to complete 1,080 contact hours of instruction each school year. If the number of hours is not met, as in this instance due to "rain days," students must make up those hours.
This usually means students will end the school year later than normal because certain holidays must be granted.
Anderson said further, "The graduation date was never an approved date to begin with."
CAHS Principal Jeanette Smith-Barry had told her students that the graduation ceremony would take place June 5, Anderson said. However, that date was subject to change because the Education Department never approved it.
Smith-Barry did not return calls Thursday.
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