Assemblyman Karl Brabenec (R,C,I-Deerpark) is advocating for the allowance of in-person high school graduation ceremonies to be held starting in July. The ceremonies would have to be held outdoors with necessary precautions such as social distancing and mask wearing.

The call for in-person ceremonies to be held is a reaction to New Jersey’s governor announcing that his state will begin such graduations on July 6. If the correct public health guidelines are followed, in-person high school graduation ceremonies would be a special commemoration for those seniors that finished school during unusual circumstances.

“As long as the proper guidelines are followed, I do not see why in-person graduation ceremonies cannot be held,” said Brabenec. “The seniors that graduate from high school this year have missed out on many rites of passage due to the pandemic, and they should be allowed to commemorate their efforts in a celebration as close to normal as possible. It is important that special moments not be overlooked because of current restrictions.”