Graduation Times, Textbooks Approved

By Larissa Lytwyn

The Board of Education approved the times for the Newtown High School graduation ceremony and Newtown Middle School moving-up ceremony during its last meeting on April 13.

Newtown High School will hold its graduation ceremony at 7:30 pm on Saturday, June 19 at the William O’Neil Convocation Center at Western Connecticut State University in Danbury.

Newtown Middle School will also holds its moving-up ceremony at the O’ Neil Convocation Center, at 6 pm on Monday, June 21.

The board also approved serveral texts.

Most controversial was the approval of Karen Hesse’s Witness for an advanced eighth grade literature group.

“We will be requiring parental permission for students to read it,” said Assistant Superintendent of Schools Alice Jackson.

Witness is the fictionalized account of the Klu Klux Klan’s efforts to recruit members in a small Vermont town.

One scene suggests sexual misconduct, thus warranting the parental approval slip.