Krista J S.
Yelp
I'm not happy about the graduation ceremony dress code as I'm sure a lot of students feel that they should get to be themselves on the last day that defines their end to childhood and entry into young-adulthood marked by ceremony and walking to accept their diploma is a heavy and weighty feeling. To finally experience a relief of the culmination of their hard work- matching everyone and being so strict about it just defines the Hawaii Public School's under-funding and in my opinion, over exertion of "power."
They don't need a strict dress code of matching colors of white and black only! They'll look like a class of waiters or servers. Please fix this. School colors would be okay, or just have a simple dress code of "professional!" Why is that not okay?
Side Note: Hawaii schools look like prisons. I implore people to do more for Hawaii Public Schools; redesign, fix, and change is necessary. Take your cues from the schools like Issaqua High School, in Issaquah, WA., Eastlake HS, etc. Not having DECA, choices for lunch, and zero snack machines is crazy!! You can make so much money for the school through programs set up by Coca Cola and Pepsi and there are so many ways to make the school better- plus the office people. Please fix their terrible attitudes and sickening power issues they possess. I've never hated going to a high school office more than yours. Growing up the ladies and gentlemen in the office of a High School were always helpful, caring, inviting, & friendly. It's outrageous to experience this front desk team of mean people. I don't know if it's designed that way but it's wrong on so many levels. I shall digress, back to the main point:
Their cap and gown and sashes for upstanding presidents list & 4.0 (4.25 this year) students should be your focus (Cum Laude/Summa Cum Laude, etc.,), are you even doing that? How do parents get so little information from the school? It's about time you people stepped up to the plate and stopped your worry about what's under their cap & gowns and focus on your real problems.
I've seen the way some kids are dressed for school in items that leave nothing to the imagination. So why, on this day, are you acting like you have it all together? For show? That's kinda about right, unfortunately. And you put it on the families or the kids can't walk. If other parents watched the video by Mr. Taraoka, he must've threatened detention 25 times or more or telling seniors, "you won't be able to walk!" Totalitarian is the definition I'd use. It's distressing to say the least.
The class of 2023 is kind, generous, smart, funny, and skilled. Treat them like the young adults they are and remove the dress code for graduation to "professional," minus the color matching. It's a simple thing, really, and would make the most sense.
Mahalo Nui Loa!