VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. — Volusia County Schools announced that they are doubling the number of guest tickets each senior will get for graduation — instead of being restricted to two tickets, each senior will be given four.  Some parents and family members are pushing back, however, saying that's still not enough. 

Senior Micah Smith explained he has missed out on a lot this year, and the decision to limit gradation tickets in the same way there were for the 2020 graduating class, just added to it. 

“I felt kind of like I was on the short hand of that," said Smith. 

After 12 year’s of schooling, he said that two tickets just aren't enough to include his whole family. 

“It means a lot more to me than most people think," he said. "They think you have your mom and your dad and you are OK, right? They don’t understand how much of an impact those grandparents have to me and my upbringing."

After hearing stories like his, Volusia County school leaders announced Monday that they would increase the number of guest tickets from two per student, to four. 

“We heard them loud and clear and it is because of these parents, really, that we just went back to the Ocean Center on our hands and knees and were, like, begging them is there another way,” said Carl Persis, a Volusia County School Board member. 

​Persis explained that vaccination rates and a change in CDC guidelines helped make the ticket expansion happen. But after fighting for this issue hard, Smith's mom Buffi Smith is still not happy. 

“Yes, we are grateful for the four, but everybody wants to push and have a little bit more, because for most families it is still just not quite enough,” she said. 

Among those who will miss out on the festivities is Micah’s aunt, Jessica Strickland. 

 “I sort of think that that budge is maybe to quiet everybody down versus actually finding a solution that actually works,” said Strickland. 

Having started a petition and Facebook page that gained lots of momentum, she claimed their fight is not over. 

“We wanted to see, are you parents wanting to keep fighting for more expansion of this, or are you all OK with the four tickets?" Strickland said. "And every comment that came through, while we are thankful for a little bit of movement, it is not enough and they wanted to keep pushing."

After adjusting seating arrangements to allow for three feet of distance now instead of six feet between pods, Persis said allowing any more guests in isn’t practical— no matter the size of the high school.  

But Persis said allowing more people to attend graduation just may not be possible.

“We have really maxed it out at the Ocean Center,” he said. 

But Micah Smith isn't giving up just yet. 

“We’ve gained pretty decent ground and made some pretty good headway, and that makes me pretty confident that we are going to get what we deserve," he said. 

Ceremonies are scheduled to be held June 3-6 at the Ocean Center. According to the school district, graduates and their guests will be required to wear face-coverings and to socially distance to the greatest extent possible.​