Status: Closed — this petition is no longer accepting signatures.
Final supporters
Dr. Cutler,
We as a staff want to voice our concerns to you regarding the continued choice of politicians as keynote speakers at our graduation ceremony.
First, with the current state of politics in our country, it seems a bit antagonistic to half of our families to select a politician whose beliefs and votes may completely fly in the face of what they believe and support. As a staff, the current choice certainly concerns many of our beliefs about creating a safe space for all of our students, as both of these men who were selected are anti-transgender and have voted to pass bills against them.
Second, as a school that promotes equity, which you ask us to discuss monthly in our staff meetings, we do not support the choice to select people who openly pushed the University of Wisconsin Regents to freeze DEI staffing as a requirement to increase UW’s budget. More importantly, we continue to ask old, white men to be keynote speakers, which does not correspond to our mission and vision as a school and absolutely does not show that we value equity.
Finally, let us offer more than a concern or a complaint, but a solution. Let us consider asking strong Black/LatinX/Indigenous/Asian/LGBTQ+/female businesspeople to provide some inspiration to our students instead. Let us ask someone who, perhaps, has attended our school and has found success, or maybe someone who has had to overcome a disability. Perhaps a staff member would be willing to speak. McFarland School District graduation usually invites students, alumni, or staff to speak. We believe this would be more inspirational to our student body.
Please know that these concerns are very strong for many of us, but more importantly, they were voiced by students. If our mission is truly to do what is best for them, then please consider their voices. We understand that you want to offer this as a means to get legislation done, but we would encourage you to find another way to do this. We do not want to have a graduation ceremony that many of our students will consider unsafe to them or that they feel they cannot participate in. Please, reconsider your position.
With sincere concern,
More like this
Request for Reconsideration of the 2026 Commencement Speaker
Graduation Gown
Updates
April 24, 2024
The silence from the office is heavy and telling but we are continuing to push forward despite the lack of a response. I am exhausted by the constant uphill battle yet I know we cannot let this issue fade into the background.
April 24, 2024
Reaching this level of support honestly feels heavy because it proves how many of us feel sidelined by these decisions. I am exhausted by the constant uphill climb of this work but seeing so many colleagues align with this push keeps me moving forward.
8 Comments
I just want to add to this that having a Democrat speak next year will be just as concerning to me and others on our staff as having Republicans. It is not about giving equal time...the main concern most of us have is that graduation is no place for politics. We should celebrate our students, not our contentious political climate!
I as a staff member would not feel safe interacting with these speaker choices and I am grateful I am not required to be there.
Let's get Charlie Burns and end on a happy stress-free note and keep the politics on the side bar like they are all year long.
Our staff is predominantly white and does not reflect our demographic evenly. Perhaps our graduation speaker could reflect our demographic in a more inclusive way. It obviously matters to students that is why we are here.
I love motivational speakers. That's what we all need right now.
This is completely hypocritical from our culturally inclusive book that YOU are enforcing.
Thank you Max!
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Status: Closed — this petition is no longer accepting signatures.
Final supporters
Dr. Cutler,
We as a staff want to voice our concerns to you regarding the continued choice of politicians as keynote speakers at our graduation ceremony.
First, with the current state of politics in our country, it seems a bit antagonistic to half of our families to select a politician whose beliefs and votes may completely fly in the face of what they believe and support. As a staff, the current choice certainly concerns many of our beliefs about creating a safe space for all of our students, as both of these men who were selected are anti-transgender and have voted to pass bills against them.
Second, as a school that promotes equity, which you ask us to discuss monthly in our staff meetings, we do not support the choice to select people who openly pushed the University of Wisconsin Regents to freeze DEI staffing as a requirement to increase UW’s budget. More importantly, we continue to ask old, white men to be keynote speakers, which does not correspond to our mission and vision as a school and absolutely does not show that we value equity.
Finally, let us offer more than a concern or a complaint, but a solution. Let us consider asking strong Black/LatinX/Indigenous/Asian/LGBTQ+/female businesspeople to provide some inspiration to our students instead. Let us ask someone who, perhaps, has attended our school and has found success, or maybe someone who has had to overcome a disability. Perhaps a staff member would be willing to speak. McFarland School District graduation usually invites students, alumni, or staff to speak. We believe this would be more inspirational to our student body.
Please know that these concerns are very strong for many of us, but more importantly, they were voiced by students. If our mission is truly to do what is best for them, then please consider their voices. We understand that you want to offer this as a means to get legislation done, but we would encourage you to find another way to do this. We do not want to have a graduation ceremony that many of our students will consider unsafe to them or that they feel they cannot participate in. Please, reconsider your position.
With sincere concern,
Updates
April 24, 2024
The silence from the office is heavy and telling but we are continuing to push forward despite the lack of a response. I am exhausted by the constant uphill battle yet I know we cannot let this issue fade into the background.
April 24, 2024
Reaching this level of support honestly feels heavy because it proves how many of us feel sidelined by these decisions. I am exhausted by the constant uphill climb of this work but seeing so many colleagues align with this push keeps me moving forward.
8 Comments
In order to best serve our students, graduation speaker choices should be focused on encouraging and celebrating student achievement and voice - not a networking opportunity. A few years ago, a speaker from UW-Madison (a BIPOC woman) presented on her college experience, and I have NEVER heard such excited, affirmed, or positive feedback from our students about a guest speaker as I heard about her presentation. Students watch, care, and listen. Let's make choices that make our students feel safe and celebrated.
I just want to add to this that having a Democrat speak next year will be just as concerning to me and others on our staff as having Republicans. It is not about giving equal time...the main concern most of us have is that graduation is no place for politics. We should celebrate our students, not our contentious political climate!
I as a staff member would not feel safe interacting with these speaker choices and I am grateful I am not required to be there.
Let's get Charlie Burns and end on a happy stress-free note and keep the politics on the side bar like they are all year long.
Our staff is predominantly white and does not reflect our demographic evenly. Perhaps our graduation speaker could reflect our demographic in a more inclusive way. It obviously matters to students that is why we are here.
I love motivational speakers. That's what we all need right now.
This is completely hypocritical from our culturally inclusive book that YOU are enforcing.
Thank you Max!
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In order to best serve our students, graduation speaker choices should be focused on encouraging and celebrating student achievement and voice - not a networking opportunity. A few years ago, a speaker from UW-Madison (a BIPOC woman) presented on her college experience, and I have NEVER heard such excited, affirmed, or positive feedback from our students about a guest speaker as I heard about her presentation. Students watch, care, and listen. Let's make choices that make our students feel safe and celebrated.