Graduation - Not

Do/did you do private school for your kids (or yourself)? Or a K-8 school? Or plain old Junior High or Middle School?

More importantly, do your schools do "8th Grade Graduation"?

If you do, I'm sorry. You'll probably think I'm a nut. But I don't get it.

My son did a K-6 grade school, and they did a "6th Grade Celebration", telling us they couldn't use the word "graduation". However the cake they supplied at the Celebration  had graduation caps on it. *eyeroll* It made no difference to me, really. I just found it ironic.

He attended a middle school, consisting of 7th and 8th grade. Two years. They were lucky to be acknowledged as they were kicked out the door, let alone have a celebration or "graduation". 

But since that time, I've heard the subject come up more and more. Lela's son had an 8th Grade Graduation, but she refused to call it that and called it a "Promotion". (See why we are such good friends?)

So I'm wondering, what exactly are you graduating from in 8th grade? No, I get it, they are moving onto high school, a big step in the world. I get it. But to graduate sort of implies your done with something. To graduate from 8th grade is kind of a cruel joke. Dude, you have FOUR more years just to get through your basic, required education! And it isn't all cheerleaders and football players. It's freaking projects and reports that take hours, teachers who are lazy and let other students grade your work, finals that make you sweat, and pressure to choose a college and a career before you've even decided what to wear to school tomorrow.

I also get that when you've gone to a K-8 private school, you are leaving a group of kids that you've essentially known your whole school-life. Most of them will go to different high schools and move on. I get that, too. You could say you are "graduating" from that time in your life, I suppose. And I'm sure as a parent, I'd get sucked into the hell thrill of it all.

But it seems like things for our kids are sometimes getting puffed up so much, I wonder if they know what real accomplishment is. Everyone on the team gets a trophy. We "graduate" from 8th grade and expect gifts from the relatives with parties and ceremonies.

My nieces "graduated" from their K-8 private Christian school, and for each one, it required, not one, not two, but THREE fancy dresses. Because they are directly attached to their church, there was first some sort of Church ceremony that required a fancy dress. Which was covered by white gown for the whole thing. Then there was the Big Banquet. It is a dinner, award presentations and dance for students and parents only. (You know, girls dance the prerequisite dance with Dad, boys with Mom, then the kids all dance in a big group.) For this, there was a formal gown. Like one would wear to a prom. With cleavage and bare backs. For a 13 year old. In a class of 25 kids. And then last, but certainly not least, there was the actual graduation ceremony, which required another fancy dress, and was again covered by a graduation gown and cap. My child would have been the outcast - at the very least, she would have worn the same dress to the first and third events. And that formal gown? She'd be wearing that to the Homecoming dance next year in high school.

Maybe my neck of the woods is just low key. Or maybe I'm a grinch. High school graduation is a big deal around here. And I like it that way.

***Ally the Grinch
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