Margaret Walks Across the High School Stage on a Warm June Morning
“There is more, Margaret,” Arthur said, adjusting his spectacles. “Look at the addendum on the final page.”
I turned the page and scanned the small, dense print near the bottom.
“It says here that if the ceremony is disrupted by any unsanctioned memorials or public demonstrations, the school district must refund twenty percent of the total contribution,” I said, reading the words aloud.
“That is eighty thousand dollars,” Arthur said. “That is why Vance is acting like a warden. If anything goes wrong, the school has to pay that money back immediately.”
“Does Vance know about this?” I asked.
“Vance is the one who negotiated the contract,” Arthur said. “He signed on behalf of the administration. He needed this library to secure his position for the superintendent’s opening next year.”
“I want a copy of this,” I said, pulling the pages closer.
“I already made you one,” Arthur said, reaching into his drawer for a second folder. “But Margaret, you must understand the legal limits of this document. The school board has the authority to accept private donations with stipulations.”
“Even when it means erasing Olivia?”
