GRANT COUNTY, Ky. (WXIX)– A Grant County mother claims she has been denied access to what would have been her deceased daughter’s high school graduation.
Myka Williams’ daughter, Courtney, died four years ago before starting her freshman year of high school. Her fellow classmates are graduating today, and Williams said all she wanted was an empty chair to represent Courtney.
The district isn’t allowing it.
“I don’t understand why anybody would want to put anybody through this. As if I don’t suffer on a daily basis,” said Myka.
Officials at Grant County Schools said that the district has never had an empty chair for a student who wasn’t enrolled in the high school. Courtney died before her freshman year, but her mother said she had already picked her freshman classes.
The district maintains that you are not a 9th grader until the first day of school.
Myka said that she believes her daughter was a part of a high school program and deserves a chair at graduation. She said that Courtney played softball for Grant County High School in 7th and 8th grade. No one could confirm this, but Myka said she has pictures.
Myka vented on Facebook in a post that has gotten a lot of attention. She believes that led to a sheriff’s deputy showing up at her home.
“A Sheriff’s Deputy showed up at my house, said that Grant County Schools had notified them to come to notify me, that I’m not allowed on school property tomorrow, for graduation, and that if I was, I would be arrested. There’s no threats, there’s no harmful words in there, basically just saying I’m disgusted with the way that Grant County High School has treated us,” she said. “I don’t think asking for a chair and a moment of silence is taking away from any class.”
