What the...?!?

Political cartoons exist to attack the system, speak truth to power, skewer the Man. The cartoon above barely begins to address the situation between the buffoons at RRPS and the Rio Rancho High School families who have been cheated out of seeing their seniors graduate. The pomp and circumstance they expected has turned into smoke and mirrors thanks to RRPS.

Rubbing salt in the wound is the condescending dismissal of valid protest and real grievances by editors at the Rio Rancho Observer, who weigh in with a nasty editorial that may as well have said: "Sit down and shut up."

Graduation at The Star is the right decision

We said it in this space last month and it still holds true this month: It would be a reasonably safe argument that when someone (parents with students in Rio Rancho Public Schools) isn't happy with something someone else (the Rio Rancho Public Schools Board of Education) is doing, then they (the school board) must be doing something right.

And RRPS made the right decision when it voted unanimously in March to move graduation ceremonies from The Pit in Albuquerque to the Santa Ana Star Center in Rio Rancho.

Now that the city has a sparkling new jewel of an establishment where it can hold such an important local event, that's exactly how and where it should be.

People of this city and parents of children in the school district should be honored to have such a quality venue to now hold graduation ceremonies. It sure beats the dark and dingy Pit or putting folding chairs on the football field and praying that it doesn't rain.

And to the few who think that the world will come to an end because their cousins twice removed can't attend the graduation ceremonies because the venue is too small, we have this to say: Get over it and move on to something else.

Want to complain about Rio Rancho Public Schools? How about complaining over something that impacts education. Namely why the school has a difficult time meeting AYP, which determines which schools are "failing" and which ones aren't, per the federal No Child Left Behind mandate.

That's a reason to complain.

Additionally, school officials are most certainly doing everything they can to accommodate graduates and their families. First, the number of tickets to graduation has gone from six tickets to eight. Second, RioVision has agreed to air ceremonies on channel 15, with one caveat: You have to subscribe to CableOne. Also, school officials will route a feed to the Performing Arts Center, where guests of the graduates can also view the ceremony.

Santa Ana Star Center is also working to help graduating seniors as some suite holders are allowing controlled access to their seats. That could mean up to an additional 700 seats.

All benefits.

When you get right down to it, RRPS doesn't have to make any concessions as it relates to graduation. Basically you get what's available, like it or not.

To the graduates and their families who believe that graduation will be "completely ruined" because the ceremonies have been moved, life - the day after May 19 - will go on.

Granted most people (as evident here) don't like change - especially when it happens to them. A different mind set is needed. As the Cheryl Crow song says, "A change will do you good."

Finally, one ranter said it best. "It's obvious some of the Class of 2007 are ill-prepared for life's challenges. Some things in life aren't fair to some. You need to learn to be flexible and make the best of it. Or you'll be miserable the rest of your life."

It is not only obvious, but glaring. Embarrassingly glaring.

Accept now that life doesn't always go as planned - no matter how much time and effort you put into something. Accept that there will be ups and downs, heartaches and disappointments. It's only just beginning.

Accept that life is difficult and if the worst thing to ever happen to you in life is that your favorite cousin can't attend your high school graduation, consider yourself lucky.

Extremely lucky.

Copyright © 2007 Rio Rancho Observer

No reference to the fact that the decision to move the graduation out of The Pit and into Rio Rancho's Santa Ana Star Center was given to seniors a mere 2 months before the graduation.

People of this city and parents of children in the school district should be honored to have such a quality venue to now hold graduation ceremonies.

No matter that families had ordered announcements, invited loved ones, and made plans. No skin off the Observer's nose.

"It's obvious some of the Class of 2007 are ill-prepared for life's challenges. Some things in life aren't fair to some. You need to learn to be flexible and make the best of it. Or you'll be miserable the rest of your life.

Okay, wait a minute...the saying goes like this: Some things in life aren't fair. PERIOD. Notice the Observer's "ranter" added a little something:

"Some things in life aren't fair to some."

Are some people able to skip the school of hard knocks and remain inflexible? Who are those people and how can the Observer discern that those complaining about the graduation are not among this blessed group? Maybe the Observer can let the rest of us know so we can "move on to something else."