ANCHORAGE, Alaska - Billy Ray Macon Sr. has a lot to be proud of. The Anchorage resident raised a loving family, owned a successful contracting business, and even authored a book about how people could get along better in the world.
The piece of paper didn’t reflect the hard work or the hardship Macon endured to make it through high school and support his family. A senior at age 19, he was already married, had a young child and another on the way. Timpson wanted to do something for her grandfather but wasn’t sure exactly how. An earlier attempt to contact the Anchorage School District had gone nowhere. So instead, she wrote a moving social media post about the inspiring man her grandfather had become and the one thing that had bothered him all these years. She talked about why he deserved a new diploma without the red stamp. Something she hoped she could surprise him with for his 80th birthday.
On Jan. 28, the morning of Macon’s birthday, the family headed to West Anchorage High School intending to pick up the diploma from the front office. Macon himself had no idea what was going on, thinking they were going out for breakfast.
What does “Meets minimum requirements” even mean? In other words, WHY did officials feel it necessary to stamp that on a diploma? Seems pretty discriminatory given that ALL high school diplomas are awarded for meeting minimum requirements w/ some HS noting those exceeding them.