Karmelo Anthony, a Texas teen accused of fatally stabbing 17-year-old Austin Metcalf, will be allowed to graduate from Centennial High School in Frisco, despite missing more than six weeks of classes and currently being under house arrest on a first-degree murder charge.
Anthony’s graduation was approved following advocacy from his parents and the activist organization Next Generation Action Network (NGAN), which has taken an unusually active role in supporting the accused teen.
According to WFAA, negotiations between the family, school district officials, and NGAN resulted in a controversial decision to allow Anthony to receive his diploma, though he will not be allowed to participate in the graduation ceremony on May 22.
“We are proud to share that Karmelo Anthony will graduate and receive his high school diploma, and that his academic achievements will not be disrupted,” said Dominique Alexander, president of NGAN. “This is a moment of dignity for Karmelo and a reminder of the power of advocacy done right.”
Frisco Independent School District Superintendent Dr. Mike Waldrip clarified the school’s position in an email to the community. He confirmed that while Anthony’s credits and past academic work would be honored, district policy forbids students facing serious criminal