Editor:
I just attended the Rio Rancho High School graduation ceremony.
A big theme of this graduation was respect. The staff showed absolutely zero respect for the students who were waiting to get their diplomas after the letter L.
The staff stood around in little groups talking; they let the students who already received their “diploma” leave the field; they let other students start their celebrations on the field, taking pictures, shooting off the confetti tubes and throwing up their caps. The staff let students’ families on the field; the students were pretty much gone before the last half of the students even got off the stage.
It was like a little rain was going to melt these people. What was wrong with all of you?
It was horrible seeing my grandson cross the stage and not be able to do the confetti, or the switching of the tassel or the toss-up of the hats. He says he feels like he lost out on the entire experience because of this.
RRHS staff should be thoroughly ashamed of themselves.
Laurie Zirpel
Rio Rancho

Editor:
I am completely appalled at Rio Rancho High School’s graduation ceremony May 18.
While the superintendent and the president of the board of education tooted their own horn, I watched a storm move in. It poured.
Instead of realizing that rain was forecasted and speeding things along so that everyone could graduate, they put themselves first. This is a long line of complaints that I have about the ceremony.
After it started raining, the staff allowed the students to leave. The staff themselves stood in little clusters and chatted while they were still reading names.
At the beginning of the ceremony, they asked for respect. Where was the respect for the graduates?
I watched as kids played around on the field, the staff not paying any attention, and the complete disrespect of the families whose children were already called. As you can tell by the last name, my student was the last to graduate.
I felt so bad for the kids at the end of the ceremony because they got ignored. This was supposed to be organized.
A little rain should not have stopped a simple thing as respect.
Virginia Zirpel Kimura
Rio Rancho