I send congratulations to all the 2008 graduates of Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School who had the common sense to make the right choice.

I was really disappointed to find only a small article about their graduation in the Sun Journal, and even more upset that the graduates’ accomplishments were overshadowed by nine students’ complaints and protest about not being able to march with their class because of the bad choices that they made.

All the seniors were asked to sign a contract agreeing to abide by the rules for all graduation activities. Every student was fully aware that if those rules were not followed, they would not be allowed to participate in the graduation ceremony.

Auburn’s Mayor John Jenkins said it best in his speech that “C” stands for choices and consequences. Whether you make good or bad choices, you always have to deal with the consequences of your choices.

I am sorry for the parents who did not get to watch their children graduate. For the parents who have been making excuses for their children’s bad choices – it’s time to to let them experience the real world; let them face the consequences of bad choices, and hope they learn to make better choices in the future.

Kendra Marshall, Oxford