ROARING SPRING - Several family members of Central High School's graduating Class of 2009 are upset because they missed out on their loved ones' graduation experiences.
"We thought we were going to be able to see people graduate, and that didn't happen," said Vince Miller, one of more than 40 parents, grandparents, friends and family who couldn't see students accept diplomas June 3 at Central's graduation ceremony.
Graduation was scheduled to be held the at Roaring Spring Athletic Field, where no ticket was needed for admission. In the event that inclement weather forced the ceremony indoors, each graduate was given four tickets for family members to use.
District officials said graduates can request extra tickets, although it is not guaranteed they will receive any.
When the decision was made the morning of graduation to hold the ceremony in the school auditorium, the number of people who could fit in the space was restricted considerably.
Miller, who did not have a ticket, said he got to the school about an hour before graduation with his 82-year-old father and was told they weren't allowed in the auditorium.
"We went in there, and they said if you don't have a ticket, you can't get in," Miller said.
Instead, they were directed to the band room and told they could watch the ceremony on closed circuit TV.
Miller said that with less than 20 minutes to go until graduation, the television in the band room wasn't functioning.
Eventually, he left the school shortly after the ceremony started.
"We got up and left," he said. "I never did get to see my son graduate. We thought we were going to be able to see people graduate and that didn't happen."
Superintendent Rodney Green said Thursday that he would not comment on the situation, as he believed it had been dealt with to the best of the district's abilities. According to the district, the matter was a private one and steps would be taken to improve the graduation-watching experience in the future.
Donna Simington of Claysburg was excited to see her oldest grandchild graduate from Central, but she too, didn't have a ticket and was forced into the band room. Earlier in the day, she said she was told on the phone that she would be removed by security if she attempted to enter the auditorium.
"This was ridiculous," she said. "It just blows me away. It was a real fiasco to say the least."
Of the 40 or so people in the band room, some had come from as far as New York and Florida, Simington said.
There were quite a few empty seats in the auditorium, too, she said.
"There were enough empty seats," Simington said. "My daughter had an empty seat next to her. That was just insult to injury."
