Counterfeit graduation tickets made for Eau Gallie High School graduation

BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. — Eau Gallie High School may be changing its graduation ticket procedures next year after a group of students created counterfeit tickets, forcing some to watch the ceremony on a TV.

The principal of the school said some counterfeit tickets were made, but the issue did not prevent anyone from watching the graduation at the King Center on Thursday night.

The principal said about 100 people watched the ceremony from the foyer of the center on televisions.

A spokesperson for Brevard County Public School said there is a plan in place to eliminate the possibility of duplicate tickets next year by switching to bar-coded tickets that can’t be duplicated.

Each student gets five tickets for the ceremony.

“I don’t think it’s very right. People only get a limited amount of tickets to see their kid graduate,” said Kyle Smith, who has a brother that graduated Thursday.

Smith wasn’t at the graduation because his parents and grandparents used the tickets.

He said there are other ways to get extra tickets.

“People don’t necessarily use their five tickets. You can ask around,” he said.

School officials said if the graduating class is the same size or larger next year, there will be reserve overflow rooms for the additional attendees.

“We feel terrible for those families that couldn’t be in the main hall to see their students graduate,” said assistant superintendent Matt Reed. “This is their big moment and they couldn’t be in that hall. We just feel terrible.”

Cox Media Group