Several early graduate students in the Tamaqua Area School District expressed concerns with how they’ve been treated by fellow students.

Seniors Britney Miller and Sabrina Moyer told the school board on Tuesday that they are two of six early graduate students this year.

Moyer said that while she knows nothing can be done now, she hopes future early graduates would be treated better.

Board President Larry Wittig asked what she meant.

“Within the first few weeks of school we were being criticized as early graduates for graduating early, saying that we were all graduating for the wrong reasons by other students and seniors,” Miller said.

Miller and Moyer noted there have been other issues as well.

Wittig asked if the students have talked to any of their faculty members about the matter.

Moyer said she had talked to a few of them earlier in the year, and last year as well. “And they just told us that basically all we could do about it was ignore it, and if we need to, stand up for ourselves.”

“We just feel that’s it’s been happening just too much,” Moyer said.

Moyer said it could deter other students.

Wittig offered encouragement to the students.

“A lot of times when students excel, or overachieve or do something that somebody else can’t, they may be criticized. Probably you’ll see that in life, if you’re excelling through school in a short period of time and if you do the same thing in college, finish in three years, you’re going to be in the work force ahead of everybody else by two years, which means you’re going to be earning more money than they will earlier on,” Wittig said.

He said other students might envy them. “I’m not making excuses for their behavior, don’t get me wrong.”

Wittig thanked them for attending the meeting.

“I don’t know if it’s a systemic problem that exists,” he said. “So, if it’s a systemic problem, I think that you should probably talk to administrators to see what can be done about it.”

Both students said they decided to speak to the board because they want to help future students who may want to graduate early.

Wittig told the students that it’s probably a guidance counselor issue.