NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. — As more than 25 high school graduation ceremonies are set to take place at the North Charleston Coliseum over the next few weeks, many Lowcountry parents are upset over limited parking passes and what they call a lack of communication.
Parents Raise Concerns About Parking Restrictions
Some parents in the Berkeley County School District (BCSD) say they just recently learned that each graduate will only receive three parking passes, making it harder for extended families to attend.
“We just want answers—plain and simple,” said Anna Zeruth, a parent of a 2025 graduate.
Zeruth, who is part of a blended family, said they have 20 to 25 relatives hoping to attend her daughter’s graduation. Now, she’s struggling to figure out how to get everyone there safely.
“This is a moment in her life where she should be able to have all her family and biggest supporters there—without worrying about logistics,” she added.
Another parent, Kirstin Tanner, shared similar frustrations, pointing out that parking wasn’t an issue in past years, even when the Coliseum didn’t have a parking garage.
“Three years ago, we didn’t have this issue, and now we have more parking. Make that make sense,” Tanner said.
Why the Parking Changes Were Made
The City of North Charleston and Coliseum officials explained that last year’s back-to-back graduation ceremonies caused major traffic jams on International Boulevard and Montague Avenue, leaving roads gridlocked and even impacting emergency vehicles.
To prevent a repeat of that, they decided to issue parking passes for all graduations this year. The goal is to reduce traffic by encouraging carpooling, not to limit attendance.
“This does not limit the number of attendees, only the number of cars,” said the North Charleston Coliseum in a statement.
The City of North Charleston added that new growth in the area, including apartments, hotels, restaurants, and attractions like TopGolf, is also increasing traffic, making this change necessary.
“This is about managing congestion and keeping people safe,” the city said.
School District’s Response
In a statement, the Berkeley County School District said school leaders followed their usual communication procedures, and since attendance isn’t limited, they didn’t initially feel the need to explain parking pass rules in advance.
They also confirmed that all graduations will be livestreamed, which could help relatives who can’t attend in person.
Still, parents say the lack of early details has forced them to make last-minute changes—including renting vans to transport large families or squeezing many people into a few cars.
“Theoretically, you shouldn’t cram 10 people in a small compact car, but that’s what’s going to happen,” Zeruth said.
Officials Ask for Patience and Planning
City officials said they’ve worked with local police and fire departments and all 26 schools to create a safer, more organized plan. This includes:
- Spacing out ceremonies so one group can leave before the next arrives
- More police presence to manage traffic signals
- Encouraging carpooling to limit the number of vehicles
While parents understand the safety concerns, many say better communication would have helped avoid confusion and stress.
