SUMTER COUNTY, S.C. — South Carolina schools are not returning for the rest of the school year leaving graduation for seniors up in the air for many school districts.
The Sumter County School district announced Friday that it would host a virtual ceremony for their over one thousand graduates.
But not everyone is happy about this. Andrea Clark is a senior at Sumter High School preparing to attend Brown University in the fall and Travis Johnson is also a graduating senior who is attending Harvard University next school year- both of these students do not want this to happen and are asking the district to hear them out.
"Travis is the projected salutatorian of Crestwood and I am the projected valedictorian of Sumter High School," Clark says, "and for weeks now we've been in the dark about what's going to happen at graduation,"
Friday, the district announced a virtual graduation and these students among others and parents feel like this decision is not right.
"We really were just so disappointed that this decision lacked any element of transparency," Johnson says, "and we talked to many parents and fellow students and no body had an important voice in this decision."
The students sent an open letter to their district leaders with no helpful results.
Monday morning, they are planning on holding a peaceful gathering to challenge the district's decision.
"I hope that the board members really realize what their duties are to us because they are elected by us and therefore their interests should be our interests," Clark argues, "And I hope that they take a chance to listen. Even if their decision does not change- which we do hope it does."
"The only thing that we are really asking is for our voices to be heard and allow us to have a seat at that table where the decisions are being made," Johnson says.
The students have a layout of what graduation could look like at Sumter High's football field with social distancing and CDC measures incorporated.
The Sumter School District told News19 though no formal survey was conducted, the Superintended received feedback from students, employees, parents and community members regarding several graduation options and the decision was extremely difficult.
The peaceful gathering will take place Monday at 9 a.m. at the district office.