LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) - A Lincoln middle school has pulled its yearbooks to remove a memorial honoring a deceased student, citing district policy violations.
Irving Middle School Principal Jason Shanahan notified district officials about his decision Friday. Shanahan said he’d approved the yearbook memorial, but later learned from the other principals dealing with student deaths that such a memorial goes against guidelines.
The two-page memorial was for 13-year-old Taylor Miller, who died in November after being hit by a car. It included her name, her graduation year and a Winnie the Pooh quote.
“The guidelines were developed through consultation with district and community experts based on research specific to the impact of memorials on children and youth,” he said in an email to parents. “We believe these guidelines are in the best interest of our children and allow us to remain consistent and fair.”
Lincoln Public Schools officials said such policies are in place to keep the focus on the event and to prevent glamorizing a death.
The decision came after nearby Waverly High School, which is in Waverly School District, recently reached a compromise with students who wanted to leave a chair empty at graduation for a classmate who died.
After the district received backlash for denying the memorial, the school settled on a moment of silence and a bouquet of flowers on the stage in her honor.
“That’s a concern we have for our students because we don’t know how they’re processing that empty chair, that moment of silence … when they came to be honored for graduation,” said Brenda Leggiadro, who supervises Lincoln Public Schools counselors.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.