by Aozora Ito, staff writer
Traditionally, graduating seniors are recognized for their hard work towards ahigh GPA throughout the four years of high school at the graduation ceremony. The students who achieve Summa Cum Laude with a GPA of 4.40 or above and the Magna Cum Laude with a GPA of 4.0 to 4.39 receive white gowns, while others below that receive blue gowns.
Every year, Fountain Valley High School has further recognized these students by placing them in the front rows of the graduation ceremony. It is absurd and rather strange that, only a day prior to the graduation ceremony students were notified that the white and blue gowns would be mixed together.
For four years, the class of 2016 has expected they would be separated and all this time; many dedicated their time and energy to get the high GPA, the white gown and recognition at the graduation ceremony. And being notified of the sudden change just one day before the actual ceremony? Many students cannot understand the intention of the school’s sudden change and notification.
To some, such a change in seating seems trivial. And it’s true that a grade point average doesn’t completely reflect a student’s worth. However, this is a fault with the education system. It has created a high level of competition and jealousy among students, pitting them against each other with exam scores.
Others might consider such separation of students as segregation. Parents might be peeved that their child isn’t being recognized, because they too worked hard to get to where they are today. They may think that just because some students have higher GPAs doesn’t mean all students should not be recognized equally for their accomplishments.
But not everyone is equal. From the moment they enter FVHS as a freshmen, every single student had an equal opportunity to achieve a white gown and be fully recognized by being called up first at the graduation ceremony. The school shouldn’t take away students’ recognitions just for the sake of ‘no segregation.’
We can only hope that in the future, high achieving students will be fully recognized just as they have been for years past.
And let’s be honest, the scattering of white and blue gowns just isn’t as aesthetically pleasing.
