Topeka seniors to get 6 tickets each for First Lady's speech

[BeyondGeography]

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Amid complaints about the possibility of limited tickets for friends and families to attend a Topeka high school graduation where Michelle Obama is speaking, the school district announced that graduating seniors will be given up to six tickets each.

Topeka Unified School District 501 spokesman Ron Harbaugh said Saturday that officials met Friday to determine that graduating seniors would receive up to six tickets each for the joint commencement ceremony scheduled for May 17. That day marks the 60th anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court’s watershed ruling in Brown v. Board of Education that outlawed segregation in schools.

The ceremony will include all five of the district’s high schools, Highland Park High, Topeka High, Topeka West, Capital City and Hope Street Academy.

...Harbaugh said an estimated 1,300 people will be on the floor of the Kansas Expocentre and nearly 6,500 seats will be available in the regular stands, The Topeka Capital-Journal reported (http://bit.ly/1r4bpeI ). He said additional seating could be opened if the Secret Service gives the approval.

Each of the schools will give out the tickets to the joint graduation. If a student claims less than his or her allotment of six, Harbaugh said more tickets would then become available for others.

http://ksn.com/2014/04/20/topeka-seniors-to-get-6-tickets-for-first-ladys-speech/

[Egnever]

1. So brothers and sisters have to stay home?

mom dad and the grandparents and you have burned those six tickets. This whole thing seems like a fiasco.

[BeyondGeography]

2. It's worse when there are divorces involved

My daughter's graduation is in June; we have six people from the grandparents side alone going. And that's without a full turnout. Each child gets 10 tix. The stepgrandparents are in some cases required to keep the divorced grandparents from making each other exceedingly uncomfortable.

[Egnever]

4. 10 seems a little more reasonable

At least that sort of provides for a "typical" family, I am sure you aren't unique in your situation though.

6 seems like a recipe for disaster it is like this was set up to fail long before Michelle got involved and that I am sure only made the situation worse.

[mississippi62]

3. So what? This is standard practice for large graduations.

[Egnever]

5. 6 is the normal alottment?

I realize there has to be a cut off somewhere but 10 seems a much better number. At least that provides for both sets of grandparents and a couple siblings.

[Beaverhausen]

9. My nephews high school allowed 4

4-6 is what I usually hear.

[Egnever]

10. Interesting

Thanks!

[Politicalboi]

6. We live in a different age where

These things can still be seen by family members at home live. I only had my 2 parents when I graduated in 79. I would think most kids don't really care if you come or not. They are finally FREE! They're more concerned with where the parties are after the gig. This ceremony sounds like a sleeper with all those schools attending. Except for FLOTUS of course. I bet CSPAN is going to cover it.

[Egnever]

8. I think it is as much for the parents as the kids

I agree that most likely for many of the kids they are indifferent to their parents being there. But for many of the parents it is the first step in letting go of their children and one of the last steps in years of trying to guide them on the path of life.

In a ceremony that has limited seating to begin with booking a big draw probably wasn't the best idea.

I would be thrilled if she were to speak at my childs graduation but I would also be pissed if members of my family couldn't attend.

[Niceguy1]

7. seems reasonable considering. ...