Peers Push School To Let Foreign Exchange Student Walk At Graduation

ORANGEVALE (CBS13) – She is a foreign exchange student who has made fast friends. Pictures show Tais Camargo all smiles with her Casa Roble High School classmates.

Now those classmates are taking action to allow her to walk side-by-side with them at graduation.

The school says the rules prohibit exchange students from the ceremony.

Tais didn't want to talk to us because she doesn't want to jeopardize the foreign exchange program with the school district. But that's not stopper her friends from speaker for her.

"I think that it's unfair because I know that this is something that she wants," said friend McKayla Peterson.

Three days ago, they started an online petition to get school officials to change their minds about letting the Brazilian student walk.

In three days, it's gotten about 400 signatures.

"It's other students, it's alumni of Casa who graduated in '86, parents, her fellow senior classmates.  It's everyone who thinks this is just wrong," Peterson said.

Kirsten Cutts understands how much the ceremony would mean to Camargo. In fact, she says not having Tais there would take away from her own big day.

"I want to be able to look next to me or behind me, or wherever she is, and see her there in a cap and gown just like me because we've spent this past year doing the same thing," Cutts said.

There are four weeks before graduation to convince the school to let Tais wear a cap and gown.

"It's not fair to the foreign exchange students who spend a year, who come all the way from their home country to this school, and then denied the right to participate in one of the largest milestones in a student's life," said friend Camryn Nichols.

The San Juan Unified School District issued this statement, writing: "Participation in graduation is open to all students who meet the graduation requirements.  This student's specific situation is under review in order to evaluate which requirements have or have not been met and a final determination has not been made."