The Rising Costs of Graduation: The Hassle Over a Tassel

Perhaps graduation ceremonies are becoming more Common-Core aligned.  I read a news story in The Post explaining how seniors at the Gateway to Health Sciences secondary school are being asked to pay 60% more for their graduation fees this year, $160 instead of $60.  Apparently the cap and gowns cost $25 and the tassels alone cost $20.  I imagine they must contain strands of pure gold!  

Some parents called for greater transparency.  One student defended the policy, claiming that prices last year had been artificially low, leading to a deficit of some thousands of dollars.

This year the price of caps and gowns has increased twofold.  Graduation tickets increased threefold, from $5 to $15.  The price of programs increased five fold, from $5 to $25, not to mention the additional expense of the newly introduced haute couture tassels, coming at $20 a piece.  What would Coco Chanel say?  And, do you think people's salaries have been going up at the same rate?