A Rhode Island honors student received her diploma while holding her toddler, but the school made a last-minute change of policy Wednesday night due to an “unfair” rule.
Valerie Landry received thunderous applause as she held her 1-year-old son, Grayson, on her hip. Pilgrim High School Graduation At the Ryan Center at the University of Rhode Island.
Landry was 16 when she gave birth to her son in December 2022, but was told before the event that she wasn’t allowed to bring her son or any family members onstage. According to WLNE.
“Warwick Public Schools has a long-standing tradition of recognizing the achievements of each student at high school graduation,” the district said, according to the news outlet.. “That’s why we are only allowing students to attend the graduation ceremony, as many have requested that their family and supporters also attend.”
Landry told the outlet on Tuesday that she plans to ignore the school’s decision and take Grayson with her when she walks across the stage.
“I’m going to take him with me,” Landry said before the ceremony. “I talked to them and asked what it would be like and I didn’t really get anything. But at this point I’ve passed all my classes and finished my senior project with honors, so I’ll just see what happens.”
But before the ceremony, Landry received the school’s blessing.
“[The principal]really made me understand that today was my day and I should do what I wanted and no one else’s day. The principal let me do what I wanted. It’s the proudest moment of my life,” Landry told media after her graduation.
Landry was greeted with handshakes and hugs, and Grayson even got a pat on the head.
Grayson’s father, Jacob Waldron, had a similar experience when he graduated from another school last year.
“Actually, I think that’s really unfair,” Waldron told the outlet. “I think she should do that. I see other schools doing it, so why can’t she?”
Wednesday’s ceremony was especially memorable because Grayson, who was born with a cleft palate, underwent his final surgery last week.
“My son is one of my greatest achievements in high school. It’s been a lot of hard work but I’m so proud of him,” the proud mom said. “My son is one of my greatest achievements and it would be an honor to have him on stage with me to show everyone that you can overcome anything.”
Landry was forced to attend school half days due to constant bullying from classmates.
“They basically said (Grayson) was born on drugs, that (pointing to Waldron) he was not the father of my baby and that I was cheating on him with someone else,” Landry told the outlet.
Landry’s mother praised the honor student who graduated from high school as a stay-at-home mom and college athlete.
“I have to give her a ton of credit because if I was in her position I would never have made it,” Janine Landry said. “I would have dropped out of school but she chose to go to school every day and got to where she is now and I’m so proud of her.”
