Changing Lorain High School commencement date was a mistake

Lorain Schools and the Lorain Police Department failed Lorain High School's class of 2026 by changing the date of commencement less than a month before the event. The original date for the ceremony was the evening of May 26, but the district announced Tuesday that the ceremony would instead be held at 10 a.m. May 23. The blowback against the decision likely would have been far less fierce if the district had made the change months ago. (Public anger over the decision could complicate the cash-strapped district's efforts to pass a much-needed levy next week.) More notice would have given folks heading to Lorain for the once-in-a-lifetime event time to alter their travel plans. It can be difficult and costly to change plane tickets. Beyond that, some folks, whether they live near or far, probably planned to take time off work to attend. While we would hope that employers would be accommodating, one never knows. Had the ceremony been delayed because of an emergency such as inclement weather, a change would have been more palatable. Everyone understands that weather can impact outdoor events. (The ceremony is scheduled to take place at George Daniel Field. The rain date is May 24.) But during a news conference Wednesday, Superintendent Jeff Graham said that there wasn't a specific safety threat that prompted the change. (He acknowledged that there were fights after graduation in 2024, when the ceremony was held in Avon, but he said most of those involved were from outside the Lorain community.) Instead, the change appeared to be the result of poor planning and communication. Graham said he made the decision Tuesday after a meeting with police and city officials in which he was told that the Police Department was short staffed. He said the department needed more staffing for its regular police work at night than it did during the day, which is why commencement was moved to a morning. Graham said he wasn't blaming the Police Department. Still, staffing issues shouldn't have caught the department's leaders by surprise. In the news release, the district insisted "that this change followed thoughtful and through consideration, with a clear focus on ensuring the highest level of safety and support." In its own statement, the Police Department said that "this decision was made after thorough consideration of the resources required to provide the highest level of support for the event." It continued: "Moving the event to this specific date and time allows our department to optimize our staffing levels across the city." Public safety, as Graham said Wednesday, should be a top priority, but there were better ways to address those concerns than moving commencement. If the Police Department didn't have the staff to handle both routine policing and the ceremony, it could have brought in extra officers to lend a hand, even if that meant paying overtime. The department also has auxiliary officers that it could mobilize to help with security. Or Lorain police could have reached out to other local law enforcement agencies and requested help from their officers to make sure commencement was supported and the rest of the city protected. Mutual aid is a common practice in Lorain County, so such a request shouldn't have been a major issue with enough notice. Perhaps the Police Department took some of those steps and came up short, but if that's the case, its leaders should say so. The district also has its own security officers. It would be better if the ceremony were moved back to its original date and time, although that, too, might complicate things for scrambling families. Still, were the district to have reversed itself Wednesday or to do so today, that disruption would be minimal. Alas, an apologetic Graham didn't seem inclined to change his mind during his news conference. Which means that around 400 graduates and their families, friends and anyone else who planned to attend the ceremony are stuck with the new date regardless of the inconvenience. The district was right about one thing in its news release. "We want to celebrate our incredible Senior Class during this milestone moment," the release said. "The Class of 2026 has truly left a meaningful mark on Lorain City Schools, and we are all very proud of what you have accomplished. Graduation is a time to honor that journey, and we are committed to making it a joyful experience for every student and family." If they can make it.