A diploma, a nod but no handshake for Bloomington grads

The district decided to forgo the custom this year after two high school students came down with the swine flu.

By AIMÉE BLANCHETTE, Star Tribune

Last update: June 8, 2009 - 7:59 PM

Bloomington's nearly 800 high school graduates are getting their diplomas this week, but they can forget a congratulatory handshake, fist bump or even a pat on the back.

After two students came down with confirmed cases of the new strain of swine flu, the district decided to forgo the customary handshake between school officials and students during commencement ceremonies Monday night and tonight at Target Center in Minneapolis.

"That's one of the greatest joys about graduation -- when you give students that last send-off by embracing them and by shaking their hands," said Ron Simmons, principal of Kennedy High, which held its graduation Monday night. "Unfortunately, we have to be very cautious about spreading germs.

"I can still look them in the eye and give them a nod with my head. Hopefully that's enough to wish them well."

The district was notified Monday that a second student had contracted the swine flu virus. A Kennedy High senior was confirmed with the virus over the weekend. A Jefferson High student was confirmed last week.

In Eden Prairie, physicians confirmed two students had the new swine flu virus last week, but the cases had not been confirmed by state health officials. Eden Prairie High School's graduation ceremony is Wednesday and will go on as planned, with handshakes.

Like Bloomington, the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh and several other colleges around the country have nixed the handshake tradition during commencement.

State health officials have not said that hand-shaking should be eliminated, but they do recommend staying home when ill. They also recommend good cough and hand-hygiene etiquette.

"Typically, there's multiple personal contacts during graduation ceremonies," said Aaron Devries, medical epidemiologist and infectious disease physician for the state Health Department. "Limiting handshakes may have a very limited effect on the possibility of transmission."

Bloomington students are free to hug one another and shake one another's hands, but principals, board members and the superintendent are not shaking the hands of any student, said Steve Hill, principal of Jefferson High, which has its graduation tonight. (The district would not allow Star Tribune photographers to take pictures at the Kennedy graduation ceremony Monday night because of a new policy implemented last year barring all media from graduations.)

Bloomington's senior parties were scheduled as usual following commencement ceremonies, but students with flu-like symptoms were urged to stay home.

All Bloomington district schools saw a spike Monday in the number of students absent due to "influenza-like illnesses," said district spokesman Rick Kaufman.

Some parents suggested the district cancel graduation, so eliminating handshaking "seemed like the best compromise," Kaufman said. "However much criticism we get, we'll always fall on the side of student safety."

Aimée Blanchette • 612-673-1715

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