Dearborn community holds graduation for students excluded from Edsel Ford's ceremony
DEARBORN, Mich. (CBS DETROIT) - The Dearborn community has planned a graduation ceremony after several students were excluded from Edsel Ford High School's ceremony.
"I was devastated," said Hatem Gelan, an Edsel Ford senior.
Gelan said he wasn't allowed to walk during graduation ceremonies because he missed rehearsal.
"It's something that I worked really hard for four years; it can't be taken away from me because of one mistake," Gelan said.
Gelan said he missed rehearsal because, in addition to attending high school, he works full time to support his family, so he could not attend rehearsal.
"My family was waiting to see me graduate. My brother and sister came from overseas, and I didn't know what to tell them," Gelan said.
"It was very disappointing," said Valerie Page, the mother of Darren Page Jr.
Page said her son wasn't allowed to walk for graduation either because he didn't have enough credits and needed to attend summer school.
Page said her son fell behind after being threatened by another student and said the district was aware of the incident but was not sympathetic to the situation.
"He has struggled emotionally, very bad with this," Page said.
"It's so excessive and unfair," said Samraa Luqman, a community activist and attorney representing the families excluded from Edsel Ford's graduation.
Luqman said there is no way the school should've excluded students from graduating under these circumstances.
"I don't believe you should hold children back from a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that they worked 14 years to achieve," she said.
Luqman and the community will hold their own ceremony in the parking lot of Edsel Ford High School on Monday.
"I think they really deserve the chance to walk in front of the community, in front of their families, and to know we are proud of them," Luqman said.
