Huge group of Placer students poses for graduation photo, defying state coronavirus order

More than 100 students at Lincoln High School in Placer County huddled together for graduation photos on Sunday morning, defying state and local orders against large gatherings during the coronavirus outbreak.

Lincoln High parents organized the photo shoot for the students, many of whom had not seen each other since schools closed in mid-March. The photos first appeared in Gold Country Media on Monday in an article celebrating the graduating class.

Students didn’t practice social distancing or wear masks; both measures are among current recommendations in Placer County, where more than 170 people have been infected and nine have died.

Students stood on the pavement chalked, “Congrats class of 2020 #SeniorStrong” wearing bright blue graduation caps and gowns, and yellow stoles as their parents looked on and took photos. One attendee used a yellow construction lift to get an aerial angle photo of the group.

Western Placer Unified School District officials said the photo session was not sponsored by the district or the high school.

“The Western Placer Unified School district and Lincoln High School has organized a variety of celebrations for our seniors including a virtual graduation ceremony, personalized signs for each student, photographs of each graduate, and much more,” read a statement from the school district. “All of these activities conform to current health guidelines and are approved activities according to our Placer County Health Director. The pictures recently posted on Facebook of a mass gathering of students in their caps and gowns was not a district-sponsored event, and neither the school district nor Lincoln High School had any influence on the activity.”

Placer County Health Officer and Public Health Director Dr. Aimee Sisson said her department had “seen the photo and our understanding from the school district was that this was organized in a grassroots fashion, and not by High School officials.”

“We continue to stress to the public the importance of adhering to physical distancing and avoid gathering with anyone not in your immediate household, in line with state guidelines,” Sisson said.

Many schools in the region have gone forward with plans to conduct virtual graduation ceremonies. Other school districts like San Juan Unified are still discussing possible plans to hold ceremonies later in the year.

High schools in a neighboring district, Placer Union High School District, announced they will hold in-person graduation ceremonies for seniors in July, serving 50 students at a time and observing social distancing.

This story was originally published May 21, 2020 at 4:24 PM.