Minnesota bans large-scale high school graduation ceremonies

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Minnesota has banned large-scale high school graduation ceremonies to limit the spread of the coronavirus, and encouraged schools to hold online ceremonies instead.

The Minnesota Department of Education issued guidance saying indoor graduations and ceremonies held outside in stadiums and on football fields are not permitted. It says such gathering are not considered safe at any size.

The department acknowledges how much students in the class of 2020 have sacrificed this year, and how disappointing it is for them not to participate in the milestones and traditions they had imagined.