Debating Eighth-Grade Graduations (1/2)

In the United States, middle school is the period between elementary school and eighth grade. Often this is a difficult period of change for children. If all goes well, four years later, they are high school graduates.

Graduation is a term traditionally connected with high school or college. Yet there are even kindergartens and preschools that hold "graduations." These might be mostly for fun. But some people are concerned about the popularity of eighth-grade graduations.

Some families may have trouble paying for costly celebrations organized by parents or schools. Yet they may feel social pressure to take part. The same criticism has been made for years about high school graduations and seniorproms. A prom, short for promenade, is a formal dance.

But critics say that, more importantly, eighth-grade graduations may send the wrong message -- that an eighth-grade education is enough. They are concerned especially about poor communities where many people never finish high school.

The subject has even entered the presidential campaign. Democratic candidate Barack Obama talked about it in a recent speech at a Chicago church.