After controversial arrest, Christina schools move graduation from University of Delaware

Kelly Powers, Delaware News Journal
Updated ·1 min read
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Christina School District has found a new home for graduation.

Superintendent Dan Shelton fielded a question on this during state Rep. Paul Baumbach's constituent coffee event Wednesday morning in Newark, and he didn't miss a beat.

"From this year, all three of our traditional high schools will have their graduations on the same day," he said, noting it will fall on a Sunday in early June. "And it will be held at the Chase Fieldhouse."

This comes months after a controversial arrest on the University of Delaware's campus this summer, seeing a Newark High School graduate violently arrested less than an hour after his graduation in the university's Bob Carpenter Center. The arrest triggered a fallout between the district and university, beginning with Christina moving to cease holding graduations on campus, alongside advocation for further sanctions.

Christina School District superintendent Dan Shelton speaks as Christiana High School honors more than 200 members of the Class of 2023 at its 60th commencement, Tuesday, June 13, 2023, at the Bob Carpenter Center.
Christina School District superintendent Dan Shelton speaks as Christiana High School honors more than 200 members of the Class of 2023 at its 60th commencement, Tuesday, June 13, 2023, at the Bob Carpenter Center.

The Christina school board moved to cut the commencement tie in its July meeting — a roughly $98,000 price tag for the Bob Carpenter Center, parking lot and University of Delaware security annually.

Stepping away from the summer incident, after the 18-year-old's charges were dropped by the state's Department of Justice, Shelton told the group gathered in Deer Park Tavern that changes to graduation had already been in the works.

As seven ceremonies, on seven different nights, posed too large a spread to manage, the superintendent said, "We had been talking about a new model for our graduations for about two years."

Now, seniors will have just one day on the Riverfront to mark their graduation.

Video released: What University of Delaware police body cam footage shows us about Newark HS grad's arrest

Background: State drops charges against Newark High School student arrested after graduation at UD

Kelly Powers covers race, culture and equity for Delaware Online and USA TODAY Network Northeast, with a focus on education. Contact her at kepowers@gannett.com or (231) 622-2191, and follow her on Twitter @kpowers01.

This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Christina schools share new home for graduations, off UD campus