East Ridge High School honor upset over graduation lineup

LAKE COUNTY, Fla. — Controversy is brewing over the East Ridge High School graduation ceremony.

Students and parents said in the past, honors students got a chance to line up first, but this year, the principal made a change following several complaints that it was unfair.

"We went through all the AP classes, we went through endless nights of studying and homework, to be where we are today," said student Amanda Ramtahal.

Some students and parents are upset about the change.

"My daughter came home from graduation practice yesterday and told us the principal, had decided to change the standards for graduation this year,” said parent Kelly Armstrong.

They said in past years, the graduation line up went differently.

"They did the top 26, then the summa cum laude students, were next, and then the magna cum laude, the cum laude and then the rest of the student body. The majority of the student body was in alphabetical order following them,” said parent Kristen Shirley.

This year, the first 25 will rank alphabetically.

Honor students said they don’t think it’s fair.

"In a sense, all of my hard work wasn't going to be fully recognized, to the extent in which previous years have been. I felt a little upset," said student Elder Ripper.

The district said it was trying to come up with a fair solution.

"We've heard from people who do not like the alphabetically line up and we heard from people who do not like the other approach, where you have the honor students all at the front,” said Sherri Owens of Lake County Public Schools. “We've heard complaints on both sides, so what the principal sought to do was find a fair approach."

Cox Media Group