Jimena Lopez
Crimson Chronicle Reporter
Seniors have been writing appeal letters for absences in order to participate in the graduation ceremony.
Sandra Cervantes, the attendance counselor reviewing and receiving these letters, posted on Schoology that “the letter of appeal is your opportunity to provide us with background information to your situation so we can understand what stopped you from attending school and why you should have the opportunity to graduate on stage.”
Cervantes also said that Uncleared Absence Forms were sent to period 1 teachers twice this semester and alerted seniors to submit their letters. The date to submit the appeal letter was Wednesday, May 12, no later than 3:35 pm. However, some seniors got the form the day before or even the day of but were still expected to submit the letter and their absence excuses.
Danny Rodriguez, NMA senior, got his appeal letter notice the day that seniors had to submit letters. Despite asking for an extension because he was aware of the appeal letter just one hour before the 3:35 p.m. deadline, a staff from the attendance office expected him to submit his letter in an hour.
“I had to go ask until the last day because I never received a paper and they told me I had to submit an appeal letter that same day, but I never knew because I never got a paper before the day of the deadline,” said Danny. “It got me mad because how am I supposed to write a well-thought-out letter in an hour before the deadline and even submit excuses.”
Besides the appeal letter, students had to shift from online schooling to in-person learning.
“They should have cut us some slack,” Emely Rios, PAM senior, said. “Or at least take into account that we were online for the past two years and it’s still difficult to wake up at 6 a.m. every single weekday. The school’s attendance records seem more important than their students’ mental health.”