DEAR PROBE

QWhy does Southwest High School only utilize one side of the football field during its graduation ceremony, which limits the amount of tickets available per senior? Each student receives only six tickets, and two of those tickets are for the parents. Why can’t they use both sides of the football field and add bleachers, like they did for the CIF football championship game? Other schools like Imperial High, Brawley High and Calexico High use both sides of the football field and allow more family members to be a part of a memorable event. How do we tell graduates’ siblings, grandparents, etc., they cannot attend the graduation ceremony even though they have supported those students throughout their high school years? Four tickets is not even a reasonable amount of tickets.

ASouthwest Principal Matt Phillips tells IV Press the school has studied the idea of changing the orientation of graduation to include the visitors’ bleachers. “Unfortunately, that would only add 250 seats, which would not be enough to increase the allotted tickets per graduate,” he said.

Phillips said plans are underway to expand seating on the visitors’ side to at least 750. “Once that project is complete, we will change the orientation to increase the space available for graduation,” he said, adding that the school also plans to invest in equipment so that it can livestream future graduations. “I understand these plans do not address the concern this year, and for that I apologize to your reader,” Phillips said. “We appreciate the support we enjoy from our parents and community, and we have long-range plans to increase the capacity for graduation.”