Reprinted with permission of the author.

South Plainfield Reporter
South Plainfield, NJ

To the Editor:

On Friday, June 23, both teachers and students gathered to practice the Graduation ceremony. Before practice ended, Ms. Diana Joffe held the microphone and told the graduating Class of 2000 one of the hardest things she's ever had to say. Barely able to speak, tears streaming down her face, and joined by a group of sobbing teachers, she told the students that the teachers would not be able to attend Graduation that night. The students responded with anger, confusion, and tears. Ms. Joffe, along with the Senior Class Advisors, Ms. Pastula and Mrs. Fox, assured the students that there was nowhere else they would rather be than on the field during Graduation, but due to the unresolved contract situation, they couldn't.

When the tears began to die down, the Seniors were told to prove that this would not bring them down. So my fellow graduates and I did just that. We marched onto the field at 7:00 p.m. on June 23, 2000, with our heads held high and gladly dedicated the ceremony to the teachers that have worked hard for us over the past four years. And while the tachers could not be there physically, we knew that they were there in spirit, and they were certainly there in our hearts.

I was absolutely disgusted by your article in last week's Reporter. The teachers were not present at Graduation, but it was not because they didn't care. It was because they were being put in a difficult situation where they felt they had to chose between their students and their jobs. Also, your account of Valedictorian David Alles's speech was totally incorrect. His "harsh words", as you put it, were not for the teachers, but about the situation the students were forced into. You quoted Alles saying, "We don't need our teachers with us... We should be proud." That quote was taken out of context. What Alles said was that the fact that we don't need our teachers with us should be taken as the ultimate compliment rather than an insult. They have been with us throughout the past four years, working hard, standing beside us, and now we can finally stand on our own. "We should be proud."

Lisa Mocerino
South Plainfield High School Class of 2000

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