Too far? Arresting a mom for bad behavior at high school graduation
UPDATE: Closed comments on this post after 300 remarks. (And about 200 more that I either blocked or took down.)
I have been surprised at the amount of manic cheering at the high school graduations that I’ve attended. In some cases, exuberant family members scream so loudly for their graduates that they drown at the names of the next students.
But this seems to go a bit far: Arresting a South Carolina mom for yelling too loudly at her daughter’s ceremony?
When I read these stories, I wonder if high school graduations are following the path of children’s sporting events where vociferous parents have been told to tone it down or leave the field.
But I understand the frustration of parents when their child’s name is lost to the applause and cheers for the prior graduate. I attended one ceremony where the procession of graduates had to be halted until the cheering relatives calmed down.
According to the New York Daily News:
Beach balls and bullhorns are commonly banned from graduation ceremonies, but some schools also want to silence the screaming — going so far as to have overzealous audience members arrested.
That’s what reportedly happened to South Carolina mom Shannon Cooper, who was accused of whooping so loudly during her daughter’s high school graduation Saturday night that cops charged her with disorderly conduct and placed her in a detention center.
“Are ya’ll serious? Are ya’ll for real? I mean, that’s what I’m thinking in my mind,” Cooper told WPDE NewsChannel 15 in Myrtle Beach. “I didn’t say anything. I was just like OK, I can’t fight the law. “
Cooper said she didn’t act any differently than other families when their children’s names were called during the South Florence High School ceremony. Her daughter, Iesha, told WPDE she didn’t realize her mother was being arrested until her friends told her.
“They’re locking your momma up for cheering — and I was like that isn’t right because other people was cheering and they didn’t lock them up,” Iesha told the TV station.
Police reportedly warned parents that screaming would result in expulsion from the Florence Civic Center. Those who became disorderly as they were shown the exit were also arrested, officials said. That allegedly included Cooper, who was placed in a police van and then taken to a detention center. She was there for several hours before posting a $225 bond, according to WPDE.
“Yesterday can’t be replaced… My mama went to jail on my graduation day,” Iesha Cooper, 18, told the station.
It wasn’t jail but community service that student Anthony Cornist was reportedly handed after his graduation from Mt. Healthy Junior/Senior High School in Ohio. His family and supporters gave him such a rowdy reception that school officials denied him his diploma and told him he will have to perform 20 hours of community service before he can graduate, according to ABC 9 in Cincinnati.
“I will be holding your diploma in the main office due to the excessive cheering your guests displayed during the roll call,” principal Marlon Styles Jr. wrote to Cornist in a letter obtained by ABC 9. While the school didn’t respond to requests for comment, the senior said Monday he personally “did nothing wrong.”
The school is allowing Cornist to split the community service with his family, but his mother told ABC 9 the punishment is “ludicrous” and none of them would be doing it.
–From Maureen Downey, for the AJC Get Schooled blog
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297 comments Add your comment
Jazzmine
June 6th, 2012
10:22 am
@Now I see where the child gets it from… really… it’s only high school… really.. maybe you don’t live in the same country the rest of us do… only High School is an accomplishment. 25% STILL are not graduating. the answer should be to find positive ways to prevent disruption by allowing another form of celebration. loved the HallC idea!
Reasonalble and Logical Citizen
June 6th, 2012
10:23 am
If the parent was warned before hand and was being more excessive than everyone else then I have no problem with them asking her to leave, but arresting her at the door is ridiculous. Jail should be reserved for people who are dangerous to others period. Punishments should fit the crime and yelling in support of your daughter’s graduation may be uncouth but doesn’t warrent affecting your career and livelihood which getting arrested and going to jail can do. I could even justify a civil citiation that carries a small fine in proportion to her “crime”, but anyone that promotes jail for this is insane.
William
June 6th, 2012
10:23 am
DECORUM… Now her daughter can go on to law school and learn to fight for the “Little Guys/Gals” of this country. I expect to see a movie of the week by, let’s say, 4 years of college, two years of law school, public or private practice… In 10 years this can be a great success story if you choose to work hard and make it happen. Good Luck.
TB
June 6th, 2012
10:26 am
I once witnessed a student when receiving his diploma blurt out, “I did it, Mom!” Perhaps to many parents, the reason for celebration is due to their shock that their child actually graduated high school, and then again, perhaps they are the first one in their family to have done so.
Pamela
June 6th, 2012
10:27 am
That is so crazy! All of the stories are. To arrest anyone who cheers on another student because they ‘officially’ graduated is crazy as hell! To hold a stundents high school diploma because HIS PEOPLE cheered ‘allegedly’ too loud? That is also insane.
Vanessa
June 6th, 2012
10:28 am
WOW, can things be any more ridiculous? This world needs to focus on the real issues, and get with reality!
TCC91
June 6th, 2012
10:35 am
This is common practice at Thomas County Central in Thomasville, GA. Well, they aren’t arrested but they are immediately removed from the ceremony. If they decide to argue with the Sheriff’s Dept then that’s a different story.
Everyone attending is told to hold their applause/cheer/celebration until all students on each row have had their names called.
I agree with this practice!
Big Mama
June 6th, 2012
10:36 am
Families that want to loudly celebrate their graduate should do just that…. AFTER the ceremony! Or, better yet, do away with high school graduation ceremonies all together. Why are schools wasting money on a ceremony while making cuts in the classroom? I think the priorities need to be re-examined.
Another View
June 6th, 2012
10:37 am
I prefer the ceremony to stop for 10 minutes at the sound of a cheer, other than applause. Stop it for ten minutes each time up to 5 times then cancel it, and you will see the cheering end quickly as nobody wants to be there for an extra hour. For my part, she should have been removed from the audience and ticketed for 200.00 dollars. No need for jail.
Colonel Sanders
June 6th, 2012
10:42 am
They need to arrest them for talking in the movie theaters too.
Tman
June 6th, 2012
10:43 am
Went to a Black College Graduation recently in Nashville. It was my first and possibly my last. I could not believe the cherring and screaming coming from the crowd. I know that in some cases that this maye the first person to graduate in the family from High School and in some cases the first to graduate from College in a generation. We as a people need to stop and think about others before we act in this manner.
juan carlos diego raul sanchez
June 6th, 2012
10:45 am
now if they would start aressting these same idiots at the movies….”some folks just think they be needin to be heared” clowns
Mr Smoketoomuch
June 6th, 2012
10:47 am
Enter your comments here
Mr Smoketoomuch
June 6th, 2012
10:48 am
Rather have them screaming than firing guns in the air.
band mom
June 6th, 2012
10:51 am
Yup they announce if you are too loud or disrespectull they were going to lock you up… I wished they were true to thier announcement because there was a few who should have been locked up! Rude familly members no respect for others. Yes lock her up and pay the fine!
Patrick Romano WAR DAMN EAGLE
June 6th, 2012
10:53 am
I wish MORE people would be considerate at these events too, The values of “your rights end, where other Poeple’s begin has been lost on this ME, ME Me society. Just because your baby graduated you should not infringe on the rights of the next graduate’s name being called because your baby, barely passed when you thought she/he was going to fail.
Get a life and let other’s enjoy there’s!
Golden Rule
Common Sense
June 6th, 2012
10:54 am
This is the result in a society where peer pressure no longer matters. And it no longer matters because every time someone sees something they dislike, then someone gets a new law written.
THE INFAMOUS DK
June 6th, 2012
10:57 am
Someone needs to cheer for more english classes.
Tammy
June 6th, 2012
10:57 am
This shows a complete lack of home training.
nypeach
June 6th, 2012
11:00 am
For all of you complaining about the headline, a copy editor most likely writes it. As a former reporter I rarely if ever wrote a headline. So please stop blaming her.
Michael
June 6th, 2012
11:00 am
I learned in Valdosta that HS graduation can be a big deal in families of low achievers. I loved my college graduation but spent my law school graduation at the beach. I guess I was more relieved than anything.
Patrick Romano WAR DAMN EAGLE
June 6th, 2012
11:00 am
To Another View,
So you propose that we accommodate disrespectful A-Holes that want a 10 minute break-How many hours should family members of good quality kids have to wait for this as they are always 2 hours too long…
Are you serious, what an idiotic thought? Give them more time to be an obnoxious A-hole Thank God we live in a country where great, heroic men/women have died to protect your rights to be STUPID!
What a great country we have to have witty banter and debate but YOU Cannot Fix Stupid!
Really, am I reading your comment right?
Siskel
June 6th, 2012
11:06 am
This is the same woman that makes going to movie theaters a nightmare. Hollering at the screen for 2 hours.
step dad
June 6th, 2012
11:11 am
I pity the fool who cheers so loudly as to drown out the name of my child being called during this once in a lifetime ceremony. And no one from my family will be so disrespectful to the family whose child is called after ours.
Having said that, in addition to all the hollering and whooping, can we get rid of the stupid signs and banners at the entrance to every subdivision? Your child is only accomplishing something thousands upon thousands accomplish each year. You can out your stupid banner up when your child is nominated for the Supreme Court or wins a Nobel prize.
ronnie
June 6th, 2012
11:14 am
Another waste of time police should be out arresting murderers, rapist, child molesters not moms cheering for their kids at graduation.
Frankie
June 6th, 2012
11:16 am
@colored…
You turn yellow with envy
You turn green with jealousy
you turn red with embarassment
But you have the nerve to call a black person colored….
root4au
June 6th, 2012
11:17 am
Who cares, let them cheer. Slow down the calling of names and let everyone have a good time. For some of these families, it’s probably the first time anyone has ever graduated in their family. Damn we are going off the deep end in this country.
SC Experience
June 6th, 2012
11:18 am
Having lived in and attended graduations in SC, where the on-time graduation rate is less than 50%, it becomes obvious that those who refuse to respect others at graduations do so in other parts of their lives so seeing their child graduate instead of in jail is, indeed a momentous occasion. And it is also virtually guaranteed that graduate has reached the pinnacle of their education.
Frankie
June 6th, 2012
11:18 am
I understand becoming irate after being told to control your celebration, but don’t make this a RACE thing..
I am sure some of the white kids that are graduating are the first in their family….
DB
June 6th, 2012
11:20 am
@stepdad: I don’t mind the signs at subdivisions, although in some areas it may be considered an invitation for break-ins during the graduation times. Most of the kids enjoy seeing their name up there and receiving the congratulations of their neighbors.
Renee
June 6th, 2012
11:27 am
It’s one thing to yell for or cheer on your child at a sporting event, it is entirely another story to behave that way at a graduation ceremony. Society is deteriorating as we sit and watch. The only way to combat this behavior is to try to set an example for those “on the fringes” of society to follow. I have called out people for taking cell phone calls in the middle of the movie at the theater where we have all paid good money to see AND HEAR the movie, not their person business. Kudos to the authorities for taking a stand and not backing down. Hopefully lessons were learned by at least some of the attendees.
mvale
June 6th, 2012
11:28 am
This can be said for people who refuse to turn off their electonic devices, like cell phones. How many times have you been interrupted in a movie, concert, church service….or almost run over by someone talking while driving by these rude people? One lady talked on her phone and used it during an entire movie I attended. No regard for anyone.
step dad
June 6th, 2012
11:32 am
DB, I suppose they can have their signs if it represents the pinnacle of their education as so noted by SC Experience. Maybe that is why some celebrate elementary school graduation. Put up a sign for that too.
DebbieDoRight
June 6th, 2012
11:35 am
I personally think it’s ridiculous. We’re putting people in jail for the simplest of things. I can see ticketing the parent, I can even see barring parents from re-entering the facility, but jail? Really? Is it that dang serious?
We need to try and put things in perspective. We’ve become a police state and there are a bunch of people on this blog who “cheer” for its inception.
Big Brother Is Watching. God Help Us All.
Mr Smoketoomuch
June 6th, 2012
11:38 am
WE should jail squirrels for stealing my tomatoes.
Mr Smoketoomuch
June 6th, 2012
11:40 am
@ Debbiedoright….
What about rules? Just because someone does not want to follow a rule, we say OK….never mind….
How else are we to modify behavior if there is no consequence?
I bet you support the terrorists.
step dad
June 6th, 2012
11:45 am
If we are jailing squirrels for stealing tomatoes, we also need to round up the rabbits eating the flower plants on my deck. Where is Glenn Close when you really need her?
DebbieDoRight
June 6th, 2012
11:46 am
Did you not read the part where I said to ticket them and/or bar them from re-entering the facility if appropriate? If the price of the ticket is steep enough, belive me that’s punishment enough.
Not everything you do deserves jail time. Police are overworked and understaffed as it is. Do you really want to waste their time arresting a loud, boisterous movie goer or parent while not having the manpower to arrest the guy who broke into your home or raped your daughter/son because they were too busy arresting someone at the movie theater? Is it REALLY that serious?
We’ve lost the ability to put things in perspective.
Mom of 2 grads
June 6th, 2012
11:47 am
When my son graduated from high school, he was one of the first called – since he graduated with an IB diploma. The convention center was very quiet during the IB diploma awards, and the honor graduates. Only when the non-honor graduates start graduating did the ruckus start. And it was horrible, sometimes being unable to hear the next name, and the name after that! What I found out the next year, as my daughter graduated in the non-honor section, was that these “screamers” lacked all sense of civilization, as they pushed me out of the row as I was watching my daughter climb the steps to the stage, so they could leave the minute their graduate stepped off. My son graduated from college last week (mid-Atlantic school) with his master’s…and had the same experience! People screaming, drowning out the next several graduates, and then getting up and walking in front of everyone. If I was THAT surprised my child graduated, I would not be advertising my lack of faith…
Is that all?
June 6th, 2012
11:59 am
Are you sure there isn’t more to this?
Did they really arrest her for screaming?
Or did she scream and they asked her to leave and then she went ballistic and began assaulting people?
If she really got arrested just for cheering too loud then the police overreacted.
People acted crazy at these events all the time. It’s reality. Just because you don’t like it doesn’t mean people have to be arrested. Is it uncomfortable and embarassing when epople act this way? Yes. Will we die from it? No.
If you are so intent on maintaining proper decorum at all times, just home school your precious white children and have a ceremony in the backyard with all their stuffed animals and other imaginary friends.
sr citizen dawg
June 6th, 2012
12:05 pm
Atlanta graduation ceremonies in the 50’s and early 60’s were formal and there was no cheering or other obnoxious behaviour. Celebrations (in good taste) were held after the ceremony. I was one of those 1960 graduates. I was dumbstruck when I attended my first graduation in an adjacent county years later and heard all that yelling and screaming and cheering. It was just so opposite the behaviour I was used to at graduation ceremonies. I was no nerd and engaged in a lot of rowdy behaviour as a teenager but none of it ever at a graduation ceremony. Todays ceremonies would be better served and better remembered if conducted as they were “back in the good old days” !
Face It
June 6th, 2012
12:07 pm
If you attend a ceremony and people act crazy and create a ruckus it means you are a low-class loser. Even if you don’t think you are, you are – by assoication. Having the noise-makers arrested doesn’t make you any less of a low-class loser.
If you had any class your child would be graduating from a school where people don’t act that way.
It’s interesting how most of the cultural tension exists among peoplewho are similarly situated.
For example, I am certain that all of the commenters who are taking this opportunity to make pejorative remarks based on the race of the subject of the story are themselves lower-middle class (at best) white-trash rednecks who suddenly demand respect because their little ginger babies managed to graduate from a public high school.
step dad
June 6th, 2012
12:21 pm
The real issue is many people who claim to be excersizing their freedom and rights do not understand the concept that their freedom/rights end where another persons begin. You have the right to cheer for your child but I have the right to hear my childs name called and see him walk across the stage. When your celebration infringes on another persons rights you have crossed the line. It goes to the point made by several on this blog about the “me first/look at me mentality”. If you are not capable of controlling yourself, you get what you deserve including being arrested and charged.
But I stongly disagree with the other incident where the diploma was withheld. A person cannot be punished for the actions of others.
Steve
June 6th, 2012
12:28 pm
I’m glad she was requested to leave for screaming and then arrested when she disorderly. While she may be extremely proud of her daughter, there are other parents\friends in attendance who are just as proud of their child graduating. The other attendees have as much right to hear their child’s name called as Ms Cooper.
catlady
June 6th, 2012
12:31 pm
I remember one graduation. This boy I had taught in kindergarten was graduating from high school. His mom and dad were so proud. He had two sisters who had graduated before but for this boy it was a long, hard pull. He was “a little slow”, but not in sped. I can’t remember if it took him 5 years or 6, but when he finally crossed the stage, HIS WHOLE CLASS stood up and cheered for him! I cried.
Our local high school now holds graduation on a Saturday morning at 10, to try to quell the drunken and disorderly parents. It has only worked some; quite a few get up early and start drinking.
Denise
June 6th, 2012
12:35 pm
I was so embarrassed when my family screamed like banshees at my cousin’s graduation. It is so unnecessary and rude to the kids who were called after her and whose names could not be heard. I think it is rude. I cannot imagine any child appreciating their family screaming and acting like they were raised by wolves at their graduation.
sr citizen dawg
June 6th, 2012
12:37 pm
Reading these comments convinces me there is a consensus of opinion that rowdy behaviour of any type at graduation ceremonies is unacceptable. Perhaps these comments and a tally of their sentiments should be passed along to ceremony officials and law enforcement with the end goal in mind of assuring a proper decorum at such a meaningful event.
Mr Smoketoomuch
June 6th, 2012
12:40 pm
catlady
June 6th, 2012
12:31 pm
I remember one graduation. This boy I had taught in kindergarten was graduating from high school. His mom and dad were so proud. He had two sisters who had graduated before but for this boy it was a long, hard pull. He was “a little slow”, but not in sped. I can’t remember if it took him 5 years or 6, but when he finally crossed the stage, HIS WHOLE CLASS stood up and cheered for him! I cried.
A touching story of president George W Bush.
DebbieDoRight
June 6th, 2012
12:48 pm
A touching story of president George W Bush
HA! Classic!!!
len Robertson
June 6th, 2012
12:50 pm
People today are not expected to have emotions and celebrate. I think the school officials should be the ones locked up for being Noise Natzis trying to get every one to conform to their petty rules. Arresting people is going to0 far and requiring community service is just ridiculous. Embrace celebration and let people be happy and have some common sense. These officials must be the dullest dreaiest and sad people. They want us all to be unfeeling robots who never show how we feel. I say that they are violating free speech and should be sued over and over till they finally feel the pain they want to afflict on happy families.