A school district in Arizona has changed its policy on graduation celebrations, nearly a year after it refused to include in the festivities a cancer survivor who was 2.5 credits shy of a diploma.
Mesa Public Schools last week adopted a provision that allows students who aren't graduating to participate in the annual commencement ceremony, so long as the request is approved by their school principal and district superintendent.
The school system was widely panned for excluding student Stephen Dwyer from the milestone event with his peers last spring.
He wasn't allowed to wear the cap and gown or cross the stage with his classmates because he was a few credits shy of graduation.
Dwyer had missed a year of school for leukemia treatment.
