Students call Broward’s graduation plan unfair. Some schools get Hard Rock Live

Broward high-school seniors are looking forward to graduation day, but this year, there is a change in venue for most as the district tries to save money and utilize its own buildings.

“We found out where our graduation ceremony is going to be held, and we were all very upset,” said Jose Guzman.

He and more than 500 of his classmates will graduate from Piper High School in Dillard High School’s gym. He and many others said they think it will be too small for graduates and four guests apiece.

“We greatly deserve a huge ceremony,” he said. “We all have family, we all have people who helped us through everything.”

Dia Mazurkiewicz is also a graduating senior at Piper — she’s not happy with the new plan either.

“I think that is a little unfair, because we worked so hard, like, all our lives, 13-14 years of school, I think, for this to graduate and like, some high school gymnasium, it’s not even our gym,” she said.

‘A LOT OF INEQUITY’

Cypress Bay and Marjory Stoneman Douglas students will get their diplomas at Hard Rock Live at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino near Hollywood.

“I believe there’s a lot of inequity there,” said Sunrise Deputy Mayor Jacqueline Guzman, who is also Jose’s mother. “You know, we have some of those schools, the prestigious schools, if you will, that will be able to have that opportunity to experience a venue like the Hard Rock or NSU, whereas other schools, such as Piper, Dillard, any of the schools, are going to be forced to go to another high school for graduation. So I just feel like it’s not fair.”

Broward County Public Schools Superintendent Howard Hepburn told CBS News Miami: “We’re not going to downgrade our graduations.”

“We know it’s an important event,” he added.

Hepburn said large schools like Cypress Bay and Marjory Stoneman Douglas have nearly a thousand students graduating and simply can’t fit in school facilities.

“It’s all about size and nothing more, nothing less, of how we actually designate what venue our schools are going to actually occupy,” he said.

Hard Rock Live has a 7,000-person capacity, according to the venue’s website.

Hepburn added that whether students graduate at Dillard, Blanche Ely, Pompano High, Hard Rock Live or Nova Southeastern University — they won’t be short-changed.

“All students are going to have the same pomp and circumstance they’re used to,” he said. “We also, at minimum, all students get four graduation tickets, like they did in the past.”

The district has published an online list of graduation locations.

This report was produced by Miami Herald news partner CBS News Miami.

This story was originally published January 17, 2026 at 1:18 PM.