On Friday, June 5, 2020, Kanawha County Schools canceled its plan for in-person graduation ceremonies at the Charleston Coliseum and Convention Center. The school system said graduation for the Class of 2020 would be virtual. The superintendent said the decision followed advice from state and county health officials, because social distancing would be a serious problem at a large indoor ceremony.
The health department’s position
On June 6, 2020, the health department and other local bodies issued statements. The board of health president said the health officer gave a medical opinion and raised concerns about crowd size. He said she never instructed or ordered the school board to take any action. The school system said its in-person proposal did not meet health guidelines. Six of eight high schools had already held drive-by events.
What happened next
On June 10, 2020, the school board voted 5-0 to allow outdoor graduations under state guidance. The health officer said she was glad the board voted to allow outdoor ceremonies. She asked school leaders to follow the state’s guidelines for graduation ceremonies to prevent the spread of COVID-19, and said the graduates and their families deserved to celebrate.
The state guidelines asked for face coverings, 6 feet of distance between groups, and no hugs or handshakes. Kanawha County Schools held eight outdoor high school graduations in the week of June 22, 2020.
See Statements on the 2020 Kanawha County Schools Graduations.
This information is from June 2020. It is kept here as a record and is not current advice.
Sources
- WV MetroNews: Kanawha County exploring other in-person graduation options (June 8, 2020)
- City of Charleston: Statements regarding KCS graduation (June 6, 2020)
- WSAZ: Kanawha County Board of Education clears the way for outdoor graduations (June 10, 2020)
- WV MetroNews: Kanawha County Schools to hold eight in-person HS graduations this week (June 22, 2020)