Amidst this pandemic comes with it an intense uncertainty amongst seniors in regards to what will happen to their proms and graduations. Many schools in the area have already canceled their proms that were to be held at the end of April. As of right now, JTHS proms are still on for May 1st. Nothing has been spoken about graduation, so as of right now that is still on as well. 

Students tend to disagree on a lot of things. However, one thing seniors seem to be agreeing on lately, is that they don’t want their prom or graduation to be canceled. Some seniors even turned to change.org to start a petition against canceling them. 

Student Deb Rushing made a petition to Shawnee Mission School Districts about postponing prom and graduation instead of canceling it. 1,988 people have signed it, almost reaching her goal of 2,500. 

In regards to why she is pushing for these events to be postponed rather than canceled, she argues, “The class of 2020 has worked so hard over the past thirteen years of their school career, and they deserve to have the same milestones like prom and graduation that classes before them have received.”

Many people have commented on the petition. Including a parent of SMW senior Alexis Maree Fleeman, stating, “These students have worked very hard to get where they are. They deserve to reap the rewards of enjoying the fun parts of a senior year.” 

There is no word from their school district about the petition, but it’s definitely a good way to get their attention. 

With no word on whether or not our events will be canceled, the only thing we can do is hope that they won’t be, and fight for what we believe in. Starting a petition for the JTHS school district to postpone, instead of canceling, prom and graduation wouldn’t be a bad idea. The more people that speak up to be heard, the more likely the districts are to listen.