Lightridge students, led by senior Claire Hutchison,  launched a protest against a graduation policy which restricted the number and type of cords a student can wear at graduation.  After a series of negotiations with the administration, a compromise was reached.

Graduation cords are rope like accessories worn around the neck that signify an accomplishment of a standard set by a school. They typically represent participation in an honors society, completion of volunteer hours, and other similar accomplishments.

The previous policy  stated that students can gain cords for three types of achievements: participation in an honors society, one hundred or more hours of community service, and academic achievement. At most, one cord was to be given for each of these categories.

This policy drove some students to advocate for change.

Hutchison, the forefront of this resistance, came up with the idea for Lightridge seniors to write their own proposal for cords at graduation, which she and other supporters of a new cord policy presented to administration.

The proposed policy stated “The ultimate goal of our proposal is to expand opportunities for seniors to earn cords. The current plan is limited and eliminates the chance for an expansive portion of the senior class to be recognized. The consensus appears to be that seniors would appreciate recognition for the clubs and activities they participate in, not just for meeting a requirement of service hours and academic achievement.”

The proposal also included results of a survey conducted by the proposal committee.  In the survey, with a sample size of 60 seniors, 95% of seniors disagreed  with the new cord policy. 

At a meeting attended by both students and some members of administration, some statements were made that concerned Hutchison and the other seniors attending the meeting.

“They said they didn’t want a person to just be in a club and be able to get a cord,” Hutchison said, referring to one staff member in attendance. “Which, I can understand that. But there’s definitely ways around that to guarantee the person that gets a cord is an active participant.”

There were staff members on both sides of the issue. Hutchison mentioned that cultural practices were criticized and discouraged by an advocate of the original policy.

“Leis are a cultural celebration,” said Hutchison, referring to the flower necklaces worn by Pacific Islanders at times of celebration. Again, referring to a specific staff member and not the administration as a whole, Hutchinson said,  “But they are saying that they would not be allowed to wear that walking around, walking across the graduation stage because… it’s ‘tacky’.”

Hutchison argues that student’s uniqueness and individual achievements should be highlighted on graduation.

“Not being able to recognize those different activities on graduation day is sort of ridiculous,” said Hutchison. “And I know that…from an adult perspective it doesn’t seem like it’s important anymore, but to a student… It matters a lot to us and I think that’s something they are failing to see.”

Head of Counseling Christi Campbell, a strong proponent of the original Lightridge cord policy, had a differing opinion.

“I had a parent fight with me one year about two different awards the student had received in the community and why there wasn’t a cord for her child to wear,” said Campbell. “Come on, you know, where do we kind of cut it off?”

Campbell argued that the fight for cords is possibly based in gloating rather than the desire for recognition.

“Is the statement you’re trying to make ‘I’m proud of what I’ve done,’” said Campbell, “or is it ‘ look at how much more I’ve done than somebody else?’”

On the topic of outside cultural symbols on graduation gowns, Campbell wasn’t an advocate for them on Lightridge gowns.

 “So we had people who wanted to wear their different traditional native things around their neck. That doesn’t have anything to do with what they did in high school,” said Campbell. “It’s just their culture. We had people who wanted to wear leis. We had people I mean, there were all sorts of things that started coming about and all of a sudden it took away from the gown and what the gown represents, the hard work that you’ve done for four years.”

Students and administration came together and worked out an agreement.  Students will be allowed a maximum of seven cords, assuming they meet a clearly defined set of criteria,  and one cultural item per person.

”I’m glad  that we could reach a compromise,” said Hutchison. “I would have wished we could have been able to get more, but we have to meet in the middle and I’m glad the students are able to wear what they want on graduation.”