The graduation tradition is a cornerstone in the structure of education.
If any establishment prides itself in academics, teaching or knowledge, members of that establishment would realize the significance of the tradition and attend the event.
Graduation is not only a celebration of all the efforts put forth by the student thus far in their education, but it is also a celebration of all the efforts put forth by teachers for their students.
One would think they wouldn’t miss it.
But they do – and in very large numbers. Out of a teaching staff of more than 300, Pierce College had less than a third of its instructors present at graduation last year.
This statistic reflects one of the dents in the education system: apathetic instructors.
In reality, teachers are one of the most essential aspects of learning.
We all know how a teacher can make or break a class, regardless of the subject.
Most of us can remember a teacher who influenced our lives and helped us reach our educational and sometimes personal goals.
Hopefully the few teachers who do attend graduation are the cherished instructors that have helped us come this far.
We need more of them. And maybe the ones ditching the event are those whose class we always want to ditch. The ones with the poor reviews on RateMyProfessors.com
With some part-time staff teaching at two and three colleges, it is understandable why graduation might be difficult to attend.
But the full-time staff doesn’t have that excuse. Pamela Brown, economics professor, said she thinks attending graduation should remain voluntary, “because a lot of the teachers work hard all semester and it’s not a good thing if they have to stay back during summer for graduation and cannot go on family trips, etc.”
It’s not like they would be missing much of their vacation.
The commencement ceremony this year is on June 5, one day after finals end, when many teachers don’t even have their grades submitted yet.
Some traditions die over time. Perhaps the low attendance indicates the slow death of the graduation tradition: many students don’t even attend their own.
This may be because a good number of students don’t graduate from Pierce with an associate degree, but transfer instead.
Also, there is only one graduation ceremony each spring, while many students obtain their degree after the fall semester.
To attend graduation, they have to return to campus half a year later. But to the students – and teachers – who miss graduation for no good reason: was what you did here unimportant to you?
Because what we do and learn in these few years is indispensable as we go on to find our places in this world. Graduation should be a universally encouraging evening.
The students who are graduating deserve to be applauded, and the teachers who taught them deserve to be thanked.
Finally, the knowledge students have derived from college deserves to be celebrated.
To the teachers, from the students who will be graduating: please, come out to congratulate us and wish us the best. We’d like to say thank you…
And goodbye, too.
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