YUMA, Ariz. – A Fourth Avenue Junior High School Student will not be able to walk with her classmates Friday at the eighth grade promotion.
Bryana Joya said, “I threw a pickle, one pickle and a food fight with 50 or 60 kids turned into me not being able to go to promotion.”
Joya and five other classmates were suspended and sent home right after the incident that happened during the school’s lunch period.
Joya said, “Food was thrown to our table and I threw food back. Everyone ended up snitching out and I was one of the ones who got in trouble.”
When Joya and her mother reached out to the District One office, the Superintendent agreed with the Principal’s decision to suspend Joya. Joya says her classmates don’t think its right.
“What I did was wrong but I don’t feel it’s right that I am suspended because I only got one referral. They gave me a referral which was my first one and told me I wasn’t able to walk tomorrow,” said Joya.
Joya’s mother is upset because she said the parents and students had to sign a letter stating that after three referrals they wouldn’t be able to walk in graduation, but Joya only received one. Next step for Joya is High school but she is upset that she doesn’t get to walk with the rest of her friends.
Joya said, “We won’t have that memory as a family.”
She says she is upset because her grandmother made her a special dress to wear for tomorrow’s ceremony.
“She stayed up til 2 a.m. making it and I am not able to wear it.” Joya said.
We reached out to the District 1 Superintendent and have yet to receive a response. Graduation is Friday morning at Fourth Avenue Junior High School.