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
Another Math Teacher
June 5th, 2012
4:15 pm
It’s a ceremony, not a party.
I’ve had students cry because no one could hear their name (the person in front of them having so much noise.) The people who are so disrespectful need a night or two in jail.
KidsDoMatter
June 5th, 2012
4:28 pm
I completely understand why cheering is frowned upon. But, I would think that a school would come up with a way to allow celebration during the ceremony. My daughter will be a senior next school term and we were discussing this article, because she expects our family to cheer next year. I wouldn’t if it means going to jail or not receiving a diploma (do to any circumstance).
I think the punishment is a little too much, because it’s been a long road to get our kids to this point and most parents are extremely happy on that day.
I’m more excited about which college she’ll attend and documenting her last year as a minor. I don’t think most kids realize that many of the kids they see daily, will never be seen again or in 10 to 20 years. It can be an exciting and sad occassion.
TeacherMom4
June 5th, 2012
4:29 pm
The entitlement “me first, me only” attitude that this behavior exemplifies has got to stop. During our 5th grade promotion ceremony (which I don’t necessarily endorse) we experienced the same thing. Really? You’re that excited that your kid made it out of elementary school? No, you just have no self control and need all attention at all times. That’s why your kid acts the way they do at school. They have been taught since day one that they are the only one who counts. Screw everyone else. While arrest may seem excessive, removal from the auditorium is perfectly o.k. with me.
Nope
June 5th, 2012
4:31 pm
SERIOUSLY?! You people think someone should be JAILED for cheering to loudly? I take it then that you are all willing to live in a police state. Good luck with that. Losers.
Fayette Teacher
June 5th, 2012
4:31 pm
She wasn’t arrested for cheering too loudly but for disorderly conduct as she was led from the ceremony. That’s understandable. I witnessed the screaming antics of a few families at a recent local university that disrupted the sanctity of the ceremony for the graduates whose names followed the ruckus. The screamers were led away but not without undue distraction.
Enlightened
June 5th, 2012
4:33 pm
Over-criminalizing adults just like they’re over-criminalizing students!
Tony
June 5th, 2012
4:43 pm
This was my graduation, actually. haha She was way louder than any of the other parents and it lasted for quite a while. And she mislead reporters when she said everyone’s parents cheered. Maybe, 1 in every 20 students had any crowd noise and there were only 4 or 5 notably loud cheers. Everyone was warned beforehand to be silent, it’s her fault. It was pretty distracting.
What the...
June 5th, 2012
4:44 pm
In order to hear all the names of the gradutes receiving diplomas, guests are aksed to remain quiet until all the names are called. Period.
How hard is it to understand the rationale and observe this request: Basic courtesy and respect for other people. If the parents do not understand this, what can you expect of the children!!!
Once Again
June 5th, 2012
4:46 pm
Government schools are prisons buy most standards. Why should anyone be surprised that not respecting the authority of the warden wouldn’t have its consequences. There is a more fundamental reason why so many are choosing homeschooling and private schools – freedom.
The state is premised on violence. Even the most basic foundation of funding is based on force/violence and not voluntarism. Nobody should be surprised – you were warned and you blatently ignored the warnings and continue to mock those who point out the obvious.
redweather
June 5th, 2012
4:46 pm
I had no idea that a graduation ceremony possessed sanctity.
Aquagirl
June 5th, 2012
4:47 pm
What part of “behave like a human being” was unclear to Ms. Cooper? People act like the rules don’t apply to them. If you blatantly ignore them, you’ll be removed. If you act like a heathen while being removed, you’ll be arrested. She CHOSE to escalate the situation.
Frankly I’m tired of every immature adult calling the media after they go ballistic when asked to follow a minor rule, end up in cuffs, and then claim they were arrested for breaking a minor rule. The media immediately runs the story and enjoys all the water-cooler attention.
Maureen, please join the Train of Shame for your misleading headline and exploitation. Crap journalism may get your page more views but in the long run it’ll bite you on the butt.
What the...
June 5th, 2012
4:48 pm
Oops,I left this part off: I vote for locking her a$$ up and making an example!
Yankee Prof
June 5th, 2012
4:55 pm
It has long been my experience that the volume of a graduate’s family cheering section exists in inverse proportion to that individual’s academic talent.
Double Zero Eight
June 5th, 2012
4:57 pm
Many parents lack common sense.
I have seen graduates embarrassed by the reaction
of their parents. This is only high school. I can
only imagine what the parent will do if her daughter
graduates from college.
catlady
June 5th, 2012
5:09 pm
I agree with Teachermom4. It is “look at me” behavior that also impinges on the graduates after the child being “uproared” for. Unacceptable. Glad this school made an example of this yahoo.
Perhaps graduations should be 6 hours long, so each graduate can get a 5 minute standing ovation. Of course, with these uncouth morons, they would cheer for 6 minutes!
Roll Tide
June 5th, 2012
5:13 pm
Graduation Ceremonies are a waste of time and money.
Dr. Monica Henson
June 5th, 2012
5:13 pm
Our younger son’s graduation was this year and was held in the auditorium of a large church. At the beginning of the ceremony, the audience was asked please to behave respectfully as befitted the occasion. Nonetheless, there were bands of rednecks with airhorns and many who stood and screamed like maniacs anyway. Inside a church.
When I was an administrator in New England in the 1990s and early 2000s, many of the graduations were held outdoors in football stadiums. The behavior of the audiences was unbelievable. Beach balls, parents and family members showing up in tank tops and flip flops, smoking cigars, some obviously inebriated, Silly String, air horns, screaming.
This kind of behavior is utterly trashy and shows no class at all or respect for the outstanding accomplishment of the graduates.
We attended our niece’s high school graduation at a small-town rural high school in western North Carolina, where both my husband and I graduated as well. It was a happy but sedate and formal occasion, much as our own high school graduation was more than thirty years ago. The kids of course cheered and threw their caps into the air at the end, when it was appropriate. However, the crowd was respectful, applauding politely for each student. I wish that all graduations could be this way so that kids could appreciate them, especially those who will not go on to experience a college graduation.
Sam the Sham
June 5th, 2012
5:15 pm
Too many people have lost decorum. They either yell like they’re at a NASCAR race, or get up and leave as soon as their child gets his. We’ve become a rude nation.
My Heavens!
June 5th, 2012
5:16 pm
You can tell a Northerner wrote the piece quoting the mother. “Ya’ll” is not our contraction for “you all” – it’s “y’all.” Its ludicrous to be arrested for yelling, but people should not act like they have been invited to “come on down” on The Price is Right.
Sk8ing Momma
June 5th, 2012
5:17 pm
There is a time and place for everything. Excessive cheering is relative; however, it appears that common decency is not so common. I’m a “cheerer” and I like events to be “festive”; but, I know better than to be disruptive and interfere with someone else’s recognition. Let’s hope that parents think of others while celebrating their child’s accomplishments.
Btw, the headline is blatantly false if in fact the mother was arrested for disorderly conduct. Shame on you, Maureen. I’m no journalist; but, I’d think that truthfulness would be covered in Journalism 101. I’d like to expect more from my local paper; but, the quality of the writing in the AJC often leaves me shaking my head.
resno2
June 5th, 2012
5:17 pm
Yeah, ya don’t want to have one family cheering loudly and potentially making another student feel badly because their family isn’t as loud.
My Heavens!
June 5th, 2012
5:18 pm
Also, it’s not the school’s job to think of a way you can celebrate your graduate. Anybody ever hear of throwing a party? Do y’all cut up that way in church or at a wedding ceremony?
SBinF
June 5th, 2012
5:19 pm
My parents didn’t make a scene when I graduated high school. They didn’t make a scene when I finished undergrad. Maybe they’ll whoop and holler once I finish my master’s?
Lower-class citizens need public taming
June 5th, 2012
5:19 pm
I am not referring to socio-economic groups of people: the folks that have zero consideration regarding hoe their behavior may affect the enjoyment of a public event simply need to be brought to heel. Phones in theaters, out-of-control children in restaurants and stores, graduation or other honors ceremonies – I’m not the only one who feels that social behavior has devolved to a pitifully low standard. I can guess at a few of the causes (read: “tolerate everything” and “celebrate differences” are the culprits), but I would be willing to pay extra taxes for a behavior police squad.
OrderOnboard
June 5th, 2012
5:21 pm
Great decision…she was locked up for being disorderly after being asked to exit the ceremony. We need to show our kids some class and be classy not trashy. And we wonder why the kids today are so messed up and have no respect for anything…just open your eyes–they parents done have any and want no consequences for their actions. GREAT example for her child… Break the rules, get asked to leave, and then act a plum fool…LOCK HER UP and the rest of the morons too…Be classy, not trashy—its graduation to better things!
Lulu
June 5th, 2012
5:23 pm
I saw the headline and was *positive* that this story was about Carver’s graduation this year. Many parents and family members – and the whole ROTC – were removed from the ceremony, almost as if it was a badge of honor. I was pretty sure that at least a couple of those were arrested, but perhaps they were just kicked out of the venue.
At my son’s awards ceremony this year, parents managed to cheer and whoop briefly (literally about 1 second) and when appropriate, so that the event was not unnecessarily prolonged, and it was easily possible to hear every name that was called. Also, parents were cheering for all of the children; not just their own. It was a perfect example that silence is not necessary for respect; it’s possible to cheer without being trashy … a lesson that a lot of people out there clearly need to learn.
InAtl
June 5th, 2012
5:23 pm
Very misleading info from Maureen. She wasn’t arrested for “yelling too loudly”; she was arrested for disorderly conduct while being escorted out. Reminds me of a story years back where the headline was Teen Arrested for Stealing Ice Cream, when in fact the teen had broken into a school and was eating ice cream while in the school. Big difference but designed to mislead in favor of the perpetrator.
Artie
June 5th, 2012
5:24 pm
Typical low rent behavior.
Englishprof
June 5th, 2012
5:24 pm
Let’s do something useful. Instead of wrangling about the problems involved with overexuberant behavior at graduation ceremonies, let’s count the egregious grammatical errors made by the mother(5) and the student(4) while the arrest was taking place.
AND THEN–sentence them both to one month in jail for each error!
Seriously–perhaps then they might learn the beauty of correct pronoun usage; but then again, probably not. We are graduating functional morons—by the thousands.
Proud (but silent) Mom
June 5th, 2012
5:25 pm
My husband and I recently attended our daughter’s graduation where we were exposed to the same type of obnoxious behaviors you are discussing. Yes, graduation is a ceremony, not a party. At our daughter’s, not only were the graduates warned repeatedly during practice that there should be no yelling/disruptions, the audience was reminded of the rules of decorum to be followed before the ceremony and again when they had to stop the ceremony after several outbursts (including airhorns and barking noises). Many of the parents around me were upset by all of the noise as were several of the graduates I spoke to after the ceremony. In our family graduation from high school is expected (as is graduation from college). It is not something so remarkable as to be cause for yelling and flag waving. Thankfully, the principal was true to his word and held the diplomas of those students whose families could not follow the guidelines. I guess the next time many of these graduates will be yelled at/for will be when the screw up an order at the McDonalds.
bootney farnsworth
June 5th, 2012
5:33 pm
the only thing stupider than the arrest are the graduation nazis who applaud it.
was she throwing punches?
was she endangering herself or others?
was she using obscenities?
was she drunk? or stoned?
was she naked?
the US have the highest drop out rate in the 1st world. our kids can’t compete.
hell yes a graduation is something to get reasonably crazy with.
God help us, the left and right on this board have agreed on something – a desire
to see people act like cattle and meekly do what the gov’t says in the most
trivial of matters.
on one thread we complain about lack of parental involvement, now we bitch when
they are?
and you wonder why Joe Public has lost faith in us?
bill pritchard
June 5th, 2012
5:37 pm
My son had a lot of loud cheering, but it was the teachers.
bootney farnsworth
June 5th, 2012
5:37 pm
hell, lets just beat the snot out of the kid and his parents right on stage.
JGrim
June 5th, 2012
5:38 pm
Sad story: at honor’s day this year, my husband and I could pinpoint the parents who, 7 years from now, will be the idiots at graduation.
Well,
June 5th, 2012
5:38 pm
Honeslty, I see both sides. I do want to cheer for my graduate, but not at the expense of the next graduate (and his/her family) not being able to hear their name. That just isn’t right. Going to jail for it seems excessive, but honestly, at my nephew’s kindergarten graduation I wish some of the people had been issued a ticket or something. A lot of them were WAY overboard. If my nephew had asked me why we weren’t as loud as some of the other families I would have let him know that while we are very proud of him, but it is discourteous to be as loud as some of the other families were. I would have explained to signifcance and reverance that a graduation ceremony deserves. I would have added that this is a stepping stone, not a major milestone and I expect to attend many more graduations for him. We wouldn’t have issues like this if everyone followed the golden rule.
Well,
June 5th, 2012
5:39 pm
You’re right, EnglishProf. It was embarrassing. SMH.
bootney farnsworth
June 5th, 2012
5:42 pm
@ proud/mom,
not sure where you live, but in much of the south a graduation of any kind, even HS is not a given.
often the first in a family’s history.
it merits going a little crazy over.
I don’t yell at kids in McDonalds. I just request the order be corrected.
GradeM
June 5th, 2012
5:43 pm
graduation ceremonies–high school and college, are out of control—these people in the audience are screaming and chanting like wild animals—you can’t even hear the names of the next 1-2 people announced. totally embarrassing behavior.
Danny G
June 5th, 2012
5:44 pm
It is called behaving properly. It is not fair to the other students when a family continues to yell and scream when their child’s name is called. It is a problem and I am glad it is being addressed. What part of “don’t do it” do the parents not understand and what kind of an example do they make to the other children.
bootney farnsworth
June 5th, 2012
5:47 pm
why not have guards with tazers and timers patrolling the stands.
yell for .001 too long and we’ll take you down with 10,000 volts.
then we’ll tie you to a post so the “better classes” and spit on you
as they walk by.
clark
June 5th, 2012
5:49 pm
@shame – what’s wrong with the title of the story? Maureen is only asking a question for responses. Shame on you.
bootney farnsworth
June 5th, 2012
5:50 pm
when schools make stupid rules, people will ignore them.
a concept I totally endorse.
if you want rules followed, make sensible rules.
Aquagirl
June 5th, 2012
5:50 pm
it merits going a little crazy over.
Then they can throw a big party at the trailer and let the guests whoop and holler and barf Schlitz as their graduate parades across the deck.
Bored At Work
June 5th, 2012
5:50 pm
I Believe Once Again is Neal Boortz. If not, it is definitely his clone. But, in my opinion, this mother did not deserve to be jailed. Simply asking her to leave would have resolved the issue as well. Sometimes police power is abused. If they want you badly enough they will label anything “disorderly conduct” and haul you off to jail. It’s sickening!!
OHHH?!?!?
June 5th, 2012
5:50 pm
Thought this was going to be an article about a woman who was spanking her child in public…i feel mislead, slightly.
Maureen Downey
June 5th, 2012
5:51 pm
@bootney, At our local graduation once, a dad left the auditorium to take a critical work call. He was rushing back in and went in through a wrong gate, apparently disregarding a police officer’s call for him to not enter that way. He was arrested and taken from the gym and missed the entire cerenony. Many of the parents on hand told me about it later, and the man was charged and apparently received community service and a fine. A parent witness told me that the man did ignore the officer but only because he had already had a seat and had given in his ticket. She was stunned that he was hauled off.
I think the dad was wrong, but I remain shocked that he was taken to jail.
Maureen
Cliff Claven
June 5th, 2012
5:58 pm
Maureen, here’s a link to a story in Ohio where the student was denied his diploma. He has to serve 20 hours of community service. The funny part is his family can serve it as well to help shorten the hours he has to serve.
http://www.wptv.com/dpp/news/local_news/water_cooler/popular-mt-healthy-high-school-senior-anthony-cornist-denied-diploma-because-of-too-much-cheering
Aquagirl
June 5th, 2012
5:59 pm
Simply asking her to leave would have resolved the issue as well.
That’s what they did, according to the story. So, screaming mom knows ahead of time not to scream. She screams and whoops anyhow. She’s asked to leave. She apparently puts up a fuss over that and is arrested.
What should the police do? Hold an encounter session to resolve her Oppositional Defiance Disorder? Let her scream herself out like a kindergartener throwing a tantrum?
Kyle T
June 5th, 2012
6:00 pm
Graduating high school is not that big of an accomplishment in reality. Graduating with your MBA at the very least is what is needed these days to get a decent job. So a high school graduation ceremony is more like a middle school graduating ceremony in today’s world. Nice, but seriously not that big of a deal.
Maureen Downey
June 5th, 2012
6:02 pm
@Cliff, This is a weird story as I am not sure how an 18-year-old can be held accountable for what his parents or grandparents do in the stands at graduation.
Maureen
Judge Smails
June 5th, 2012
6:02 pm
Jail AND a sturdy beating would be fitting. When the punishment is severe enough, then and ONLY then will people change their attitudes and behavior!
snowman
June 5th, 2012
6:08 pm
It’s ridiculous. I went to a high school graduation about 3 weeks ago, where the graduating class was approximately 300 seniors, and was held at the school’s football field. It was unbelievable. I couldn’t hear most of the commencement speaker’s address to the seniors because of talking in the crowd. Things were going smoothly as the seniors were being called to recieve their diplomas, when about a third of the way through the names, there were 4 women behind me that started screaming (screaming, not clapping or shouting the graduate’s name) for one senior so loudly that I was afraid I had some hearing loss. They proceeded to repeat that 4 more times during the ceremony. Is that really what we want the youth of our country to see as acceptable behavior? It’s even more frightening that we have to have security at a high school graduation to begin with.
Charles
June 5th, 2012
6:09 pm
These tend to be the same people that cannot STFU at a movie theatre, also. Throw away the key!
Greg
June 5th, 2012
6:17 pm
What has happened to “dressing appropriately for the occasion?” In seeing news coverage, etc. from graduations it appears most of the fathers and other men in attendance are dressed as if they just came in from fishing. When I graduated from high school my father (and every other man there) were dressed in a suit and tie and all the mothers and other female guest were equally dressed accordingly.
shaggy
June 5th, 2012
6:18 pm
It is rigiditis sphincterosis that is infecting the whole freakin country. It’s just a high school graduation, not a crummy wake.
Aquagirl
June 5th, 2012
6:22 pm
Is that really what we want the youth of our country to see as acceptable behavior?
The comments on this blog day after day are a testament to how kids feel like they’re super-special, everything is about them, rules are for other people, there are no consequences because when mommy screams at the teacher/administrator/school board everyone will back down, etc.
Yet it’s shocking—shocking! when adults treat COPS the same way and get arrested.
Entitled spoiled brats become entitled spoiled adults who treat everyone like their former teachers. Frankly these people could rot in a jail cell and I wouldn’t give a flying fig.
atljack
June 5th, 2012
6:22 pm
OK naysayers… what do you do when parents yell so much the OTHER kids names can’t be heard?
Just let these yokels be yokels? (presumably you yokels would side with the yokels).
Since this is a CEREMONY… how about those attending conduct themselves properly for a ceremony?
Families can applaud – but not speak, yell or “whoop” when their kid’s name is called.
Any kid whose “group” does not follow this simple rule does not get their diploma or grades until they do community service.
Then EVERYONE attending could hear their kid’s name being called and there could be a CEREMONY instead of yokels “whooping”.
Kat
June 5th, 2012
6:25 pm
I agree with the poster who said that the level of academic achievement is inversely proportional to the amount of whooping and calling out.
Shawn
June 5th, 2012
6:33 pm
Seriously, Maureen?
How is an 18 year old held accountable by what his parents and grandparents do in stage? The same for any adult is for their guests at any event. The graduate ceremony is for the graduates. Anyone that attends is called a guest. Therefore it is up to those that invite the guests to remind them of what behavior is acceptable and what the consequences are if they are not.
This is Mrs. Norman Maine
June 5th, 2012
6:33 pm
I’m not surprised that people are defending this over the top response to what amounts to rude behavior. Whenever someone is annoyed, they want the other person punished and no qualms about using the authorities to do it. It’s fine until they get in your face about it. The police could have just asked her to calm down or be evicted. An arrest was not necessary.
Judge Smails
June 5th, 2012
6:35 pm
I guess to some people, graduating high school may be the best thing they will EVER do in their lifetime. In that case, they shoud hire a marching band to perform some tribute song for them. Most folks will evengtually do something far more challenging.
g
June 5th, 2012
6:46 pm
good lock them all up!
Angry one
June 5th, 2012
6:46 pm
And yet majority of this country will foam at the mouth,saying that this a free country.Just last week a girl put in jail for missing school.Talk about freedom…This country is a police state at it’s best…
Bob LaBlah
June 5th, 2012
6:47 pm
Maureen – these parents are why the kids are the way they are. If the parent is an out of control miscreant, what are the kids?
Jake from state farm
June 5th, 2012
6:49 pm
Was she screaming “don’t taze me. bro!!!!!!”?
Jake from state farm
June 5th, 2012
6:51 pm
Let me tell you, graduating from high school is no achievement. It is expected. Now, Valedictorian or Salutatorian or Cum Laude is a different story.
Ricky
June 5th, 2012
6:56 pm
Can you say “redneck”
honest_abe
June 5th, 2012
7:02 pm
jesus almighty. the fact that that we are even discussing this is an embarrassment of all mankind. the ignorant people who scream and holler obviously weren’t able to graduate and don’t mind taking all the attention for their child’s accomplishment. these kinds of scum should be all grouped together and thrown in mississippi. heh.
honest_abe
June 5th, 2012
7:03 pm
* to all mankind.
Bryan
June 5th, 2012
7:05 pm
Let me guess she and Obama supporter ????
Wild Bill
June 5th, 2012
7:07 pm
Aren’t we allowed to fire pistols in the air during graduation here in Georgia?
zanderae
June 5th, 2012
7:08 pm
@ Proud (but silent) Mom and @Jake from state farm: thank you for your comments. I am right there with both of you. For many students, the fact that they will graduate from high school is a “given” and is expected. Yes, the students have worked hard to graduate, but this is a rite of passage to responsible adulthood, not a big WOW!!! surprise. High school graduation is baseline to a better life, and should be expected.
That being said, I know for many kids it is not necessarily expected. And we, as a society, should be proud of students who have overcome adversity to reach a milestone. And we are. But it’s one thing to be proud of an accomplishment; it’s another thing to get publicly ecstatic over something that in the vast majority of cases ought to be expected.
Throw your kid a big party if you like. Do up a big banner, buy gifts, make a big deal of graduation if you want, but realize that this is only the first step to success. Energy might be better spent on encouragement down the road.
(To the main point: no, the mom shouldn’t've been arrested. But if she raised that much of a ruckus she damsho ought to be ashamed. Or maybe that’s just the reserved-Midwesterner in me talking.)
rojer
June 5th, 2012
7:12 pm
You dont like cheering at a graduation? Its supposed to be fun. A celebration of years of accomplishment. I personally get a little embarrassed yelling a graduations but im the loser… not them. Might be worth private school tuition just to get away from this nonsense.
Tech '10
June 5th, 2012
7:12 pm
Perhaps now she understands the difference between a ceremony and a circus.
Aussie_in_ATL
June 5th, 2012
7:13 pm
I must admit, I’ve never seen what the all the fuss was about re cheering loudly for the student/family member (they stayed in school, after all) – BUT – after reading some of the comments here, I can see why it is frowned upon…especially, when students can’t hear their name being called (now that is terrible!!). Also, I agree with another post…I, too, thought this was about a mom whooping her child loudly in public!
Gretchen M
June 5th, 2012
7:15 pm
If you do not like the rules set at a function that includes, no excessive cheering…then do not go. If everyone did that the ceremony would still be going on, and I guarentee that this woman who acted out like a total fool, missed her childs name the headlines to this article piece would read differently. Hey kids…when you do not follow rules set up to keep flow as an adult in a ceremony they ask you to leave. When you get stupid…they throw you in jail. Make choices…live with concequences…it is called life…and it’s real now….I think it was great they removed her. And to the person who commented on private schools…no one there would act like that….because they would definitely throw you out….grow up world. clap and cheer and be quiet.
no loud talking
June 5th, 2012
7:16 pm
Proud but silent Mom nailed it when she mentioned the rules of decorum. I have an extreme aversion to that type of behavior. I watched morning news programs ever since I was a young child in the 1970’s but had to stop when they started broadcasting outside with screaming “fans”. No way to wake up in the morning. Why so loud folks?
Beast from the East
June 5th, 2012
7:24 pm
I’m willing to bet her eviction and arrest drew the loudest ovation of all.
Clive Buttons
June 5th, 2012
7:24 pm
This phenomenon of women whooping (WOOOOOWOOOOOO) drives me nuts too. Whoever started that fad should be shot. Audiences from the masses don’t seem to clap or laugh anymore; they WHOOP:
Show Host: tonight, our guest is
Audience: WOOOOOOWOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!
Nuts.
Clive Buttons
June 5th, 2012
7:29 pm
Just part of the general deterioration of society. I haven’t attended a graduation for years, but this doesn’t surprise me a bit. The last one I went to had not a peep from the audience. Each graduate got his/her diploma in silence; was a dignified occasion. What really makes this funny is that it makes you wonder what the wooping is all about. The stupid kid they’re cheering so much about probably can’t even half read.
Olde Fan
June 5th, 2012
7:33 pm
Neither of my parents came to my graduation. It would have been really embarrassing to be the only graduate who wasn’t cheered. I’m sure I was not unique and there are others with the same situation. Luckily, back then this carrying-on wasn’t done. All these loud and rowdy people should consider those in the class who are all alone at the ceremony, and cool it.
Another Math Teacher
June 5th, 2012
7:39 pm
This is Mrs. Norman Maine : “The police could have just asked her to calm down or be evicted. An arrest was not necessary.”
Know how I know you didn’t read the article?
“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.”
George
June 5th, 2012
7:42 pm
There’s really no answer to this issue. I do have some sympathy for parents who miss their child’s name recognition, etc., because of others who think they’re at a ball game. Look for repeats of this same article every year about this time.
FM Fats
June 5th, 2012
7:45 pm
At NYU graduation in Yankee Stadium last month I could not understand most of Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor’s speech thanks to the screaming infants and toddlers around me. No whooping, because there were 15,000 grads and nobody walks.
You know what will eventually happen? High school graduation ceremonies will be reduced to awards, speeches, and a flip of the tassel due to the rude behavior of a few morons.
Melissa
June 5th, 2012
7:47 pm
In 1994, at an affluent high school in Fayette County, I graduated in the stadium at FCHS. I remember balloons, air horns, and crowds of happy, cheering parents. If this isn’t a time for public displays of celebration – during a major milestone in a young person’s lifetime – then what is? I, personally, get a little tired of all of the “graduations” from pre-k, kindergarten, 5th grade, 8th grade… But, honestly, in a time when our schools are failing us more and more and parents are becoming more and more invested just to make sure our children succeed – I think it’s our perogative whether or not we choose to cheer loudly, softly, or with a ton of fanfare. These kids – and parents – have worked for years to get to this day. Take a 30 second pause, if needed. Damn.
Maureen Downey
June 5th, 2012
7:48 pm
@FM, I also wonder about taking young kids to these ceremonies. A neighbor was just looking for a sitter as she did not want to take her 7-year-old to his big sister’s high school graduation,which took place outside in 90 degree temperatures and lasted three hours.
Maureen
John
June 5th, 2012
7:49 pm
Both the decibel level and the length of hollering are much higher for unexceptional students. Graduating from high school’s just not that big of a deal unless the student has overcome some incredible handicap. Kindergarten, 5th grade and middle school “graduations” are even less momentous. Putting elementary kids in caps and gowns is just laughable and is to me akin to giving very kid on the 6-year-olds’ soccer team a huge trophy for showing up.
my2cents
June 5th, 2012
8:01 pm
Why do some people think they’re auditioning for a reality shown when they’re out in public?
Linda Southern
June 5th, 2012
8:05 pm
I support families and friends cheering their graduate.However, it’s not a sports event and all the excessive noise making ruins the event for other families.On the other hand, graduating from high school may be the most important thing that kid ever accomplishes.
William Casey
June 5th, 2012
8:13 pm
I never had much use for graduation ceremonies as a student but participated in HS and undergrad but not for Masters because my parents expected it. As Dean at Chattahoochee in the 90’s I had responsibilities for the ceremonies and witnessed obnoxious behavior albeit at a lower level. Whenever I hear of this, I think of what I always, during my coaching days, told my football players about scoring a touchdown: “Show some class. Act as if you’ve done it before and expect to do it again.”
Mark
June 5th, 2012
8:18 pm
You finally get someone in the family to complete HS, and you’re bound to get a little excited.
David
June 5th, 2012
8:24 pm
While I do not condone the bad behavior, everyone needs to realize we are heading towards a police state. My father was a cop and he warned me about how cops were becoming. And now I see it. So many cops now are only interested in how many arrests they can log. So don’t expect a cop to be human any more. And as far as education administrators, they live in their own world and have no connection to reality. They are lazy and lack the ability to make an actual decision. Thus the one rule, one application for everyone, better known as “zero tolerance”.
Walter Little, Jr.
June 5th, 2012
8:26 pm
I think this is a situation that got blown totally out of proportion. I think apologies are in order all the way around . . .from the school (and police) for making a big deal out of a little noise and the mom for getting carried away with her celebrating. Sadly, our law enforcement community is viewed in a dim light by many (not me) and this will only serve to widen that divide.
Brainiac
June 5th, 2012
8:28 pm
I too am tired of the boorish behavior at ceremonies such as graduation. I strongly recommend that ALL graduation attendants be charged $200.00 for TICKETS and if all goes well their money will be returned. If not then deduct whatever their behavior calls for and return the rest, if there is any!!!!!!!!!!!
Kudos to the School Boards that try to stop this idiotic behavior.
Perhaps we can return to the days of respect for others that sometimes have their name called and the uproar drowns out their names.
d
June 5th, 2012
8:30 pm
The hardest direction for people to follow seems to be to please honor the dignity of the ceremony and refrain from loud calls so that all names can be heard.
I have a couple of “issues” (for lack of a better term) with the way commencement ceremonies are handled. I tell my students who are upset that they only get 15 tickets so they can’t invite their grandmother’s dog-sitter’s baby brother’s third ex-wife’s second cousin to the ceremony that first off, unless you are on the stage, that ceremony is not about you…. it is about the class. If you want a celebration about *you*, rent a pavilion at Stone Mountain or wherever and celebrate. I am not saying graduation isn’t an accomplishment, but seriously, you get 1/3 of a second.
2) Why do we need the “roll call?” I like what Georgia State has started doing. If you received a Bachelor of Arts from the College of Arts and Sciences, stand up, cheer (wait 10 seconds for cheering), ok, thank you, have a seat. If you received a Master of Arts from the College of Arts and Sciences, stand up, cheer (wait 10 seconds for cheering), ok, thank you, have a seat…. It would solve a lot of issues.
Brainiac
June 5th, 2012
8:30 pm
@ Walter Little:
You sir are a wimp and contribute to those who have NO RESPECT for orderly ceremonies!!!!!!!!
Maureen Downey
June 5th, 2012
8:32 pm
@To Brain and all, Please keep this debate civil. I have already taken a dozen comments that crossed the line.
Maureen
Brainiac
June 5th, 2012
8:33 pm
@ d:
You got it right sir.
Thanks for providing helpful suggestion to eliminate a lot of disrespectful situations!!!!!!!!!!!
jimbob
June 5th, 2012
8:33 pm
Not very sympathetic to the lady, who was being very rude to other graduates and families.
And I must add that ‘whooping’ at a graduation is trash behavior. In my family it goes without saying that you’ll graduate from HS. No one ever considered ‘whooping’ about it. And if it’s a college graduation then the family should really try to not act like complete idiots by doing this.
Brainiac
June 5th, 2012
8:36 pm
@ Maureen:
Thanks for the info.
Did you find anything I said in particular that was a concern to you???
jlmdra
June 5th, 2012
8:37 pm
All of the hoopla at the ceremony is difficult to understand because most kids who graduate from high school in South Carolina are illiterate.
Maureen Downey
June 5th, 2012
8:38 pm
@Brain, Yes, the “you are a wimp” comment. But you did have the “sir” preceding it.
Maureen
Brainiac
June 5th, 2012
8:42 pm
@ Beast Fom The East:
Great post Bro!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Real World
June 5th, 2012
8:44 pm
It’s high school! If you show up half the time and you don’t kill anyone, they’ll give you a diploma.
Maureen Downey
June 5th, 2012
8:44 pm
@jlmdra, I read your comment aloud to my niece from South Carolina who is a Smith student interning in Atlanta this summer. She had an instant and ferocious response to your comment, but it would not pass the filter.
Maureen
Hetch Hetchy
June 5th, 2012
8:53 pm
I generally hate the press. They always get it wrong, then put it in print. Almost 100% of the time.
For a parent to be arrested at a graduation, there must have been an incredible disruption bordering on violence. Most cops would rather not have to arrest someone, thereby avoiding paperwork and liability.
teacher
June 5th, 2012
8:54 pm
Graduations have gotten progressively worse and it is not the kids because they are still under the jurisdiction of the schools and not their families……
If you want to know why it is hard to control kids in schools, check out a public school graduation.
There is no decorum. There is no knowledge that the parents et al are supposed to act civilized and dignified.
I am appalled and embarassed, but must attend as part of my teaching job.
I am happy for the kids, but mortified at how the crowd acts.
Maureen Downey
June 5th, 2012
8:57 pm
@Hetch, As someone who covered local police in two states, I can assure that some cops do not mind arresting people. Within departments, there are officers who have shorter fuses and will arrest folks who are “disrespectful.”
See this Atlanta story on cop who arrested woman for asking “why.”
http://www.ajc.com/news/atlanta/woman-61-arrested-for-309285.html
Four women, two of them well into middle age, were discussing funeral plans for a friend when an Atlanta police officer told them to move. Three did but one asked “why.” In answer to her question, Minnie Carey, then 61, was handcuffed, put into a police wagon and taken to jail, where she was held for nine hours.
The Citizen Review Board found that Atlanta Police officer Brandy Dolson had violated APD policies and had falsely arrested Carey. “I was blown away,” Carey told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “I had heard about people in the community being harassed by the police … It really didn’t shock me as much as it probably would have if I had not heard of people going to jail for no reason. I figured I was just another one. But I had the right to ask ‘why’ I had to move,” she said.
disappointed
June 5th, 2012
9:00 pm
Understand that the parent should of been made an example of, but why hold a student diploma? We don’t hold the parent responsible for the students behavior so why would we hold the student responsible for his ignorant parent?
Brainiac
June 5th, 2012
9:02 pm
@ Acqua Girl:
You hit the nail on the head!!
Great post!!!!!!!!!!!
wordgirl
June 5th, 2012
9:04 pm
Instead of verbally cheering, why not replace it with waving both hands and wiggling all ten fingers? If that’s not enough, people can snap their fingers or do a snake-dance with their arms or whatever–something that doesn’t deafen those seated nearby or ‘erase’ the next graduate…
Enlightened
June 5th, 2012
9:13 pm
And in Gwinnett at Peachtree Ridge HS…http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i-CDrhD1238&feature=related Apparently, the crowd felt the actions were heavy-handed. Listen to the boos! Over-criminalization is just that! Georgia is number ONE in the country for the number of citizens under some type of court monitoring and FOURTH in the nation for per capita incarceration. Georgia’s graduation rate is 65.4% and Gwinnett is 65.5% and South Carolina is 66%. For the students who manage to make it out, there is reason to celebrate!
Brian
June 5th, 2012
9:20 pm
Your “mama” is completely disrespectful to your graduating peers who are following you….and guess what, their parents love their children as much as yours love you, and I’m guessing they would like to hear their child’s name announced over the PA as well. I see this kind of stuff at my kid’s school as well, but clearly not to this extent. Grates my last nerve. Trashy.
No to PC
June 5th, 2012
9:23 pm
We’re finished with HS graduations in this family, thankfully. I was so glad both of my children graduated with honors because the worst offenders, it seemed, were from the parents of other graduates. I felt awful for the students whose parents could not hear their children’s named called thanks to the loud cheering and foghorns used by the parents of those whose names were called earlier. I see no problem with asking those people to leave a ceremony, unfortunately it’s already too late for the people their actions hurt. It sounds like there is more to this story than the blog indicates and I believe all the facts should be included before asking people to sound off.
Hetch Hetchy
June 5th, 2012
9:23 pm
Downey, i’ve actually done the job. If you’re going by the Atlanta The Citizen Review Board for reference for anything, well I can’t do anything for you. Take a walk sometime through the Rice Street Jail. Or better yet, work a shift or two there. See what reality is.
WTF
June 5th, 2012
9:41 pm
Gee wonder what the mom who do if her daughter actually accomplished something big? After graduating from high school is (should be) expected.
Contractor
June 5th, 2012
9:41 pm
When half of these parents cheer it’s because their kids are lucky to graduate, and just happy they are not dead or drop outs. There should be consequences, because it is not fair for the others that worked just as hard or harder to have their special day ruined because of the ignorant few. Raise hell after the ceremony or at an after party. Have some dignity and class during the ceremony if you understand what that means. Glad this lady was made an example.
WTF
June 5th, 2012
9:44 pm
Enlightened: That is the stupidest comment so far.
Manners Matter
June 5th, 2012
9:54 pm
At the beginning of the cermony it is announced to please not yell, scream, shake cowbells, use fog horns or other noise makers as it is a formal ‘cermony’. The yelling and cheering belong at your own personal party. I’m glad the noise makers are escorted out.
Clayton
June 5th, 2012
9:55 pm
The lower the social class of the people involved the wilder the graduation!!! Only low class people act this way.
April
June 5th, 2012
10:00 pm
A citation well worth the consequence. Cheer on, mama.
Hillbilly D
June 5th, 2012
10:03 pm
A few suggestions:
Somebody say, “Please hold all applause until all graduates have received their diplomas”.
Make a manners course mandatory for graduation (it’s to late for today’s parents but somewhere down the road it might pay off).
And my personal favorite, just mail everybody their diploma. Behavior problem solved and probably a lot cheaper to boot.
Chae
June 5th, 2012
10:27 pm
I don’t understand this “hold your diploma” punishment. It’s a high school diploma. You still graduate. I don’t even know where my high school diploma is. I last saw it maybe a day after my graduation
cobb
June 5th, 2012
10:29 pm
At my son’s graduation, Kell High School, held in a Church, a small minority of parents obnoxiously screamed and disrupted the ceremony. There were very clear announcements prior to the graduation and some in attendance chose to ignore the requests for restraining their behavior and ruined a big event for the graduates after their special child. And yes, almost none of them graduated with honors.
I only wished they were removed at this graduation.
puzzled
June 5th, 2012
10:50 pm
I blame reality TV.
atlfunlver
June 5th, 2012
11:03 pm
This is nuts…schools out!! yell for your kids if you want. If it makes them feel good it cant be wrong. Control freaks just cant let go for even a second.
billyBobjacket
June 5th, 2012
11:09 pm
The kids whose families make all the noise will end up working for those whose families are respectful. On the other hand, if a high school diploma is the greatest thing they ever aspire to accomplish in life…
BlondeHoney
June 5th, 2012
11:24 pm
@cobb, I attended the Kell graduation for the son of a very dear friend & totally agree with all your comments. My boys graduated back in 2003 & 2004 in south Florida and I don’t recall the same level of disrespect between their graduation and this Kell one; agree that they were in the minority but they were soooo freaking obnoxious
Sandy Springs Parent
June 5th, 2012
11:42 pm
The last week of school my younger daughter’s middle school choir sang at one of the major old line churches on Peachtree Street in Buckhead. There were 200 students in the 3 grades. As each grade practiced, I was given the assignment of keeping the kids quite, no ussage of cell phones, no drinking or eating. The Choir is pretty evenly divided with 1/3 white upper middle + students, 1/3 hispanic, 1/3 black students.
We tried to explain to the kids that they were sitting in the naive of a church, even if this wasn’t the religion they practiced, they needed to respect it for what it was. I went up to the Hispanic kids and said to them, I bet you are Catholic. They looked at me like how do you know that, i said i am Catholic too, and you certainly know that you do not act like you are acting like you are now in Church. The Priest would just stop and yell at you, right. Or your parents would first. Then with the rest of the white kids, I was saying at your Temple or your Church ( as their are basically 4 churches in the area that most go to). Then one kid goes ” I go to the “Buckhead Church” and you can run around and jump up and down and sing. Well I said, this is not one of those type of Church’s this is the type of church that every body sits in there seats. They don’t even have kneelers to sit, down, stand, up and kneel, in here. I concluded by that point that simple 90% of the kids no matter their social economic class really understand what it is to just sit still and behave.
Hillbilly D
June 5th, 2012
11:43 pm
If it makes them feel good it cant be wrong.
Healthy self-esteem doesn’t seem to be in short supply in today’s world. What the world needs is a little more humility.
another comment
June 5th, 2012
11:50 pm
My daughter graduates next year. As she told me we can make alot of money selling the 5 extra tickets we will get for the graduation ceramony, from the people that need to take their Godmother, like a sister sister, and all sorts of other family members to yell and scream at the graduation.
My daughter spent the evening puting together a top list of schools to apply to for college. Then I helped her edit off some schools, as I would not let her keep any school on the list that did not have a greater than 65% in 6 year graduation rate. Only two of Georgia’s Public Universities and College’s make this criteria, can you guess which ones. She has to go at least 6 1/2 years to get any of the Professional Degree’s she wants to attain. So she has to get the BA or BS in 4 years or less.
The Ghost of Edward R. Murrow
June 6th, 2012
12:05 am
No surprise here.
I’ve noticed – gradually – the rude and loud and “all about me” behavior exhibited in restaurants, stores, malls, parks, concerts, and – God knows – amusement parks….so why should we be surprised when the uncivil behavior exhibited at all other places is also exhibited at graduations?
Here’s my prediction – in the not-too-distant-future – there will be graduation ceremonies for folks who want to act civil and respectful, and separate graduation ceremonies for folks who want to act like animals.
BehindEnemyLines
June 6th, 2012
1:16 am
I’m probably just about the far right of conservative reaction on at least 3/4ths of the stuff posted here … but this one rather boggles.
On the one hand I’ve seen more than a few over-the-top outbursts at HS graduations in the past couple of decades (especially the last 10 yrs or so). On the other hand I’m not sure I’m as embarrassed for those folks as I am for those here who insist that HS graduations are/should be some sort of solemn affair.
For those people I’d suggest that they buy a vowel, ask the audience, phone a friend or otherwise do something to get a clue. Those directly involved in the proceedings just want to get them over with so they can get on with whatever activity comes next. The vast majority of those in the audience also just want them to be over as well, considerable tedium endured for a few moments that are of actual interest. The pretense that it’s actually something else is a pretty sad state of denial.
Is there a certain amount of decorum that’s reasonable? Sure. But at the same time, it’s not as though someone broke out a DJ booth, a disco ball and a string of M-80’s during a funeral either.
End It
June 6th, 2012
2:07 am
I went to a graduation ceremony at Tara Stadium several years ago. It was the first graduation I attended since my own in 1969. I was shocked! Not only were people dressed like they were going to a picnic but they acted like savages. Obviously some people have no class or respect for the occasion. In my opinion, since this type of behavior will not stop, graduation ceremonies should be ended and diplomas mailed to the students. Too bad that low-lifes have ruined another tradition.
FullStay
June 6th, 2012
3:37 am
the loud, obnoxious behavior at these ceremonies is a sign of the times–people could not care less about anyone around them and whether they can hear their child’s name when announced. It’s just like the losers in movie theaters texting on their celphones and talking during the movie–like they can’t wait until the movie is over, even though it bothers everyone else. Very embarrassing to see this lowlife in public.
police state
June 6th, 2012
5:19 am
What happened to the ACLU?
police state
June 6th, 2012
5:22 am
And for the next act of “Taking your rights away” the police state will state arresting people for yelling “AMAN” in church.
And your are shocked?
June 6th, 2012
5:30 am
Okay, let’s be honest! As an educator these are the same parents who fight like hell for their children to participate in a graduation when they have not passed the graduation test. These are the same parents who sell the food stamps that I pay for that they get for free.
I suggest we go back to limiting the number of tickets we make available, giving each family four tickets will surely, put a limit to all of that mess.
Jack
June 6th, 2012
5:51 am
Friends and relatives of graduates can cheer after the ceremony. As mentioned above, this rowdy behavior by parents is passed on to the next generation.
Doggy jones
June 6th, 2012
6:16 am
Doesn’t surprise me one bit. If parents don’t know correct behavior in public, why would the child. My son recently graduated 5th grade – 5th GRADE! The way some parents were hooping and hollering you would have thought they had just received a Ph D and won the lottery too. I was unfortunate to be sitting next to a loud group. Even after being told before and during the ceremony to silence cell phones and remove crying children, this group (pack) ignored all of the above. Even when honors were being read for past students who had tragically lost their lives, this mob continued to act as though they were at the park. Some parents got up and left…….SAD!
Johnjon
June 6th, 2012
6:30 am
“and I was l like that isn’t right because other people was cheering and they didn’t lock them up”. This child needs to return her diploma.
Mig
June 6th, 2012
6:44 am
Selected quotes from the article:
“Are ya’ll serious? Are ya’ll for real? I mean, that’s what I’m thinking in my mind,”
“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,”
My mama went to jail on my graduation day,” Iesha Cooper, 18, told the station.
Consider the source. I’m just sayin…..
a k
June 6th, 2012
6:46 am
It’s hightime to stop this kind of waste of money by highschool authority. Just mail the certificates at home or let students collect from highschool . In asian country they do that. Passing std 12th is not a big achienvement.! If you pass college then it matters.
Edward Ruffin
June 6th, 2012
6:48 am
I agree with Another Math Teacher. It is a ceremony, not New Years Eve. I think the mom should have been arrested. These people who distract from the ceremony are disrespectful and obnoxious.
Sun Runner
June 6th, 2012
7:04 am
I just attended a HS graduation a couple of weeks ago. Like this, it was a large class of 400 kids with the ceremony being held in a large church. Again, everyone was asked to be respectful and hold their applause until the end. The vast majority of people were polite with controlled cheers but one idiot brought an air horn in and drove me nuts! He should have been asked to leave AND then arrested if he didn’t. Even in the parking lot latter, he couldn’t resist blowing the damn thing until everyone was sick of it. There were several instances where parents that had to be told they couldn’t block others views so that they could take pictures while their child was on stage. The church offered video tapes of the entire ceremony for anyone that wanted it for a very nominal amount. Why does everyone think the rules (of etiquette, as well as of society) do not apply to them?
Old timer
June 6th, 2012
7:11 am
Imagine….stopping for several minutes for all 400 graduates. I went to a college graduation where someone talked loudly on her cello the WHOLE ceremony from flag to final words. It was soooo rude.
Blue Fender
June 6th, 2012
7:15 am
My daughter recently graduated high school and I was completely embarassed by the “ceremony”. After the principal stated clearly for everyone to be respectful and not be disruptive until the last student of each row was announced, the rednecks still emerged prematurely. It was almost like being at a WWE event with all the woooo’s. It showed me that it doesn’t matter what color you are, there are ahole rednecks everywhere.
southside teacher
June 6th, 2012
7:31 am
Actually, she was asked to leave because of her noise. She was arrested when whe got rowdy with officials. Apparently she forgot that her daughter was not the only one being recognized that day. It’s a common problem. Not only do the kids think they are the center of the universe, but so do their parents.
mgdawg
June 6th, 2012
7:37 am
I’ve been at a lot of graduations and have seen the same thing, and it is very disrespectful. While arresting a person might be a little excessive, what else can you do? We’re not living in a world where a bad look at someone makes them get quiet.
Rodster
June 6th, 2012
7:40 am
I also disapprove of the loud cheering which is out of place at a graduation ceremony. But there must be a better way. I wonder if schools have tried preemptive notices to parents and students?
woodrow
June 6th, 2012
7:40 am
Last graduation I attended, the crowd was told not to cheer till the ceremony was over. I thought that was weird but now I understand why.
Logic
June 6th, 2012
7:42 am
High school graduations are out of hand. Have you noticed that the parents of honor graduates are NOT the ones screaming? I am glad she was arrested. Typically the parents of the kids that will probably never make it beyond high school are screaming the most. Why is graduation from high school such a big deal. All of the screaming merely prevents the next students name from being heard.
James
June 6th, 2012
7:43 am
Parents are always warned about loud cheering; unfortunately, they rarely pay attention.
WHOZ53
June 6th, 2012
7:47 am
Everybody gets their 5 minutes of fame, this was that momemnt. SHAME on the mom for doing that!
Aquagirl
June 6th, 2012
7:49 am
Actually, she was asked to leave because of her noise. She was arrested when whe got rowdy with officials.
Thank you. That bears repeating AGAIN because of the crappy tabloid reporter (not Maureen) who originally wrote the story. IMHO it was a poor choice for her quick cut ‘n paste though.
Some of this alleged reporters’ other crap: “Octomom Goes Glam in Adult Photo Shoot,” “Man’s Death During Threesome Nets $ 3 Million at Trial,” and “Pregnant Mom Leaves Baby In Car While She Gets a Tattoo.”
http://www.nydailynews.com/authors?author=Erik+Ortiz&page=2
Yeah, great informative reporting, this guy isn’t trolling for shock value AT ALL. And look at the cries of police brutality from gullible readers. READ AND USE YOUR COMMON SENSE, PEOPLE. They used to teach that in school.
email profiling is wrong
June 6th, 2012
7:52 am
Been to many a high school graduation in Atlanta.
Without exception, an announcement is made for family members to withhold cheering and applause until all the graduates have received their diplomas.
Without exception, the reason given is so that all proud friends and relatives can hear their graduate’s name called.
Without exception, there was a loutish segment among the family members who didn’t give a damn. They cheered loud and long and drowned out the names called after their graduate.
No doubt, these same folks would have started a rumble if somebody was equally discourteous when their kid’s name was called. That is if they could put their cell phones away long enough to take a poke at the culprit.
Daily life in Atlanta. We all take the good with the bad.
Koolaid House
June 6th, 2012
7:57 am
My child graduated two weeks ago, and although the Principal asked everyone to hold their applause and yells until all graduates names have been read, not one parent did that. The screaming wasn’t as bad as the graduation I attended last year, but OM Gosh, get a grip.
I was surprised to receive a text from my child saying “Cheer for me when my name is called.” HUH, how the heck did you have your cellphone up on stage? She had no purse, no pocket, where did she put it. Anyway, the text wasn’t necessary because we cheered, however, not loud, just amongst ourselves. No way would I let my cheer reach her ears on stage, that’s just RUDE and much too loud!
Repulsed
June 6th, 2012
7:59 am
Yes, I was raised in another part of the country, but this sort of behavior strikes me as (1) incredibly selfish and (2) inadvertently self-denigrating. I witness such behavior at my university’s graduation ceremonies as well. Firstly, such behavior is obviously selfish because this mother and those like her are thinking only of themselves with no regard to the families of the other graduates. Secondly, why should graduating from high school, in particular, be the occasion for so much celebration? Was this mother really that surprised that her child had managed to earn a high school diploma? In my part of the country, this was pretty much the expected thing — of, course you will graduate from high school. It was the expected and standard thing — not some earth-shaking miracle.
RG
June 6th, 2012
8:00 am
A friend of mine said it best: “The loudest cheers at the ceremony will be for the ones who know that their education is over.”
HERE COMES THE JUDGE
June 6th, 2012
8:02 am
SOLUTION…I’ve observed one…and it works. I attended a HS graduation in the upper mid-west where I was stationed at an Air Force base with a friend whose son was graudating. The names of graduating students were not called for the rather large class…each student was spaced enough to allow each other to shake the hand of the presenter, briefly turn towards the audience and wave, smile, thumbs up or some other gesture that took 1 or 2 seconds. So there was constant cheering throughout the entire diploma presentation ceremony. This precluded the calling of names so no one’s name would not be heard…a great idea from the schools’s administration. Some (or all) should adopt this simple way of conducting a graduation ceremony. By the way, the Valedictorian and Salutorian were the first to receive their diplomas so the families and the audience could cheer as much as they wanted…SIMPLE? I THINK SO!!!
BG
June 6th, 2012
8:03 am
People from the time the person you came to the graduation to see walks in and sit down, you peg where that person is and you know when that person comes and recieves their diploma. I dont care how loud the crowd before is yelling you hear that persons name you came to see. I have been to numerous of graduations and that has never stopped me or any of the parents around me from hearing their child or the student they came to see name from being called. So this is not valid in my book, being that I have first hand experience on more than one occassion in my book. We have become an ultra=sensitive world and not ultra-sensitive about the right moral things. We focus so much on BS that we have become BS..locking someone up at a graduation(who this might have been the first to graduate in their family or the struggle it took to get there) is crazy in my book. We have enough killers, robbers in the world that police could spend their time a lil better in doing their REAL JOB and catching real criminals. Locking a parent up for being excited and happy that their child graduated is DUMB!!..AND YOU PPL WHO AGREE WITH IT ARE JUST AS DUMB AND MISUSE THE LAW to fit your standards..but when it turns watch how yall cry..lol..smh..I have seen so many times in my line of work.
tyra hawkns
June 6th, 2012
8:08 am
What a waste of tax payer money.
EducationFirst
June 6th, 2012
8:09 am
It concerns me people are missing the point here. Should the lady have been removed from the venue for breaking the preadvertised rule? YES. Should she have been arrested? YES, IF she was indeed disorderly when she was escorted out, but no if she went quietly. However, the point is THE OTHER KIDS! Just like Ms. Cooper’s daughter, some of these children may never advance their education beyond this point. It is unfortunate, but this may be their “15 minutes” of fame and the only time their name may be called out for such an achievement. They deserve to have their name heard just like everyone else.
With graduating classes in the 400-600 range, it is not reasonable for the roll call to be slowed to accommodate everyone wanting to cheer their child. Show them the love at home and respect everyone else during the ceremony. Is that so difficult?
email profiling is wrong
June 6th, 2012
8:10 am
@BG,
Agree that cheering at an inappropriate time is not a criminal offense. But have we set the bar so low as a society that we can’t expect an assemblage of civilized human beings to conduct themselves in a courteous manner – for a freaking hour?
There’s no excuse for this crude and selfish behavior. Well, yeah there is – it’s poor home-training.
Jai
June 6th, 2012
8:14 am
They were right to arrest her. I hate attending graduations because ignorant family members scream too loud. It’s frustrating and stupid. I just hope that the next graduation I attend is staffed by police who are willing to do the exact same thing! When you are directed to hold your applause UNTIL ALL NAMES ARE CALLED…do it!
Tenured Teacher
June 6th, 2012
8:24 am
Loud cheering is a serious matter and cannot be tolerated. I personally have sensitive ears and don’t care to hear it. I also heard the lady in question was drunk at the time.
psdad
June 6th, 2012
8:24 am
I am amazed at the celebration of graduating from high school. Is it really an accomplishment?! Congrats you are now certified to flip burgers for minimum wage – if you are lucky to find a job at all!
Courtney
June 6th, 2012
8:29 am
Glad she was arrested. Hopefully she will get a long sentence. I am sick of the boorish behavior.
urban redneck
June 6th, 2012
8:30 am
almost all public high school graduations are like this. mine was like that fifteen years ago, and society has done plenty of crumbling since then. loud people are annoying during this type of ceremony, but you can’t blame parents for being excited. this woman was glad to finally be able to kick her daughter out of the house!! good for her. they could have just asked her to leave instead of arresting her.
urban redneck
June 6th, 2012
8:33 am
wow, when did the south get so racist?
Getaway
June 6th, 2012
8:36 am
I didn’t hear my son’s name called at graduation last year, but that was not surprising. I didn’t hear his name called at the awards ceremony the week before. I didn’t hear most of his guitar solo in the spring concert.
After the kid before him fat-fingered his way through 2 torturous minutes of off-key dissonance, I had to wait through a minute of standing ovation from his too well represented family to hear much of my son’s performance. This despite the conductor repeatedly and politely imploring the audience to refrain from applause until each arrangement was over. There was even an elegantly worded treatise on the proper etiquette at such an event. It was just wasted on those Neanderthals.
NotYou
June 6th, 2012
8:39 am
@bootney – after reading your comments, I can see why you feel the way you do. Sad.
Mama Knows Best
June 6th, 2012
8:41 am
Real simple. If there should be no clapping or emotion shown (outlandish or otherwise), do not allow or better yet encourage clapping for the school administration and invited guests. They are already accomplished and shouldn’t require adoration in order to perform their duties particularly if students (and families) on their day are denied the opportunity of celebration.
In short, if there should be silence for the students, then there should be silence for the administration, period.
DB
June 6th, 2012
8:45 am
I’ve been to a few public high school graduations, and have sworn I will never go to another one — the degree of selfishness and inconsiderate behavior exhibited by the attendees is stunning. One I went to at a school about 45 min from Atlanta was like going to a NASCAR race, the people around us talked through the entire ceremony. The people in front of us brought a huge group of balloons that caused us to have to ask them to move to the back row, so it wouldn’t block the view for dozens of people. They told us to “f**k off, lady, I’ll sit where I want.” Kids stomped up and down the the noisy stadium steps throughout, and during the Pledge of Allegiance, most people didn’t stop chattering, much less stand up respectfully. Never mind hearing the graduates’ names — that wasn’t going to happen. Another group had the balls to tell everyone around them — “Now, ‘hush, y’all, my kid’s next!” and started screaming like damn banshees. Then parents would watch their kid walk — and THEY would walk! Never mind staying around for the end of the ceremony, their kid got theirs, they were OUT of there! The degree of rudeness and classlessness was stunning.
I far preferred my kids (private) school ceremony. There’ s no screaming, jumping up and down, etc. Instead, As each graduate is called across the stage, the parents and family of that graduate are invited to rise, thus recognizing them, and also giving them a good view
There is NO applause for each graduate — all the applause is held for the end. A very nice, respectful and peaceful ceremony.
My husband received his Ph.D recently, and we noticed a distinct correlation between the rowdiness of the families (screaming their name, in case we hadn’t heard it properly, waving signs, etc. in a small theatre) and the height and sparkle of the shoes of the graduate.
One woman wore bright pink platform heels with diamond/sparkly 6 inch heels — they certainly added an interesting contrast to the doctoral robes. She almost fell over when she had to “dip” as they placed her hood over her head! Her family were yelling, “HEEYYY, __________!” (It should have been, “HEEEY, DOCTOR ________, if they were going to yell, at least yell the right thing!)
Justbehappy_live is too short
June 6th, 2012
8:46 am
Come on people…only ONCE I would let every scream as much as they like for their kids, we had ours in 2004 in Alpharetta Ga..everybody screamed their heads off and went on just fine, just be happy but…I understand some people don’t like noise..but come on go sit in cemetery and have your kid graduation there, take it or leave it BTW I am redneck and have only one tooth and i can’t stand Idiots.
pjnga
June 6th, 2012
8:50 am
Lesha, you are correct…yesterday cannot be replaced. So the student behind you, whose parents have waited just as long to hear their childs name announced at graduation will never be able to hear it, will never be able to capture it on video, will never be able to experience the joy that your mother did because she could only think of herself and did not have the common courtesy to allow the same joy to others. Not like she couldn’t hoot, hollar and display her enthusiasm to you afterwards, now is it. Stop and think about others and how would you feel if nobody heard your name called out. Mutual RESPECT….must be a thing of the past.
Because they are trash
June 6th, 2012
8:51 am
I attended a high school graduation in South Carolina where a mother screamed, ‘way to go you motherf******, which is on a family dvd to this day. How proud the mom must have been to share that affectionate term with the audience.
THE INFAMOUS DK
June 6th, 2012
8:52 am
Not jailed but thrown out, immediately. Stop the program point them out and have them escorted out in front of everyone. Have some decorum. Nobody wants to hear the ignorant yells of some over zealous parent. Its embarrasing if you ask me. Class. You either have it or you dont.
Justbehappy_live is too short
June 6th, 2012
8:52 am
Just scream as loud as you can and be happy! whoohoooo! if you don’t like it just plug your ears and sit in the back, I’ll let stupeed low arrest me.
Frankie
June 6th, 2012
8:58 am
Schools are requesting and warning audience memebers that if they conduct themselves in a disorderly fashion then they will be asked to leave….
I am sorry but HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION, LIKE COLLEGE GRADUATION is a big deal, maybe not for some of you but to me it a GREAT accomplishment.
I think that when you have to sit through 300 – 500 students some show of emotion is warranted. My family has worked hard to provide our children with everything they need in order to graduate…
SO I am going to cheer for my daughter…
If you don’t want no one to cheer or have them cheer all at the same time then…do not call individual names… and graduate the class in one fell swoop…no walking across the stage.
Jus thave them stand up, be granted the honor and then sit down…now is that fair…and neither is not allowing us to cheer..
I understand people going overboard and not sitting down or “cat-calling” throughout the ceremony…yes that is a distraction…but come on man…
Georgia - Arresting a mom for bad behavior at high school graduation - Stormfront
June 6th, 2012
9:00 am
[...] [...]
Frankie
June 6th, 2012
9:05 am
who care what race the person was I am sure if she were white you people would be saying why couldn’t becky cheer for her daughter…
I am so tired of all the racist comments on this blog…it seems that this blog continues to focus on race as an issue…
I have seen just as many white families cheer, act ignorant and stupid as i have seen black families…
You racist (black or white) need to get real..when did you become the perfect person…
JeffNeGa
June 6th, 2012
9:11 am
It all boils down to Simple Respect. Our oldest just graduated this past Friday and, yes, there were some rowdies in the crowd, but nothing out of hand.
Simple Respect…every kid on the field, or stage, worked hard to get through 12 years of schools, putting up with standardized tests, bureaucracy, peer pressure to stray off the path, and many more obstacles. They DESERVE to have their name heard. And the family that raised them and supported them along the way DESERVES to hear their name called. The speaker at the start of the ceremony asks/asked everyone to please refrain from excessive cheering, in order to allow every name to be heard. Simple Respect….
Simple Respect… It seems that the world we live in today has forgotten what this term means. Whether it is in a restaurant, movie theater, or just in a public park, there are always those who think that the world revolves around them and they expect everyone to know it. I was raised by parents who taught me to open doors for people, man or woman, just because it is a nice gesture. It appalls me to see how many people will let a door slam on someone in a wheelchair, or in the face of a very pregnant woman…(yes, I have seen both). It takes all of maybe 5 seconds to open a door for someone…
Cheering for you child is fine…but give the other parents whose kid worked just as hard, or harder, a little bit of simple respect. Cheer for a couple of seconds, then be quiet. After the ceremony, scream your bloody head off if you want too, but give every one a chance to be celebrated.
Simple Respect…
Where did it all go?
Parent
June 6th, 2012
9:11 am
I have zero problem with her spending the night in jail…sounds like she could care less about the other students and only about her child. No respect for the graduation and no respect for the other families. I hope she enjoyed her night in jail.
von
June 6th, 2012
9:18 am
Whatever happened to just clapping? At something like a Graduation ceremony, hooting and hollering would be akin to a handful of people at a wedding acting like a touchdown had been scored when the bride says “I do” Show some restraint and allow the graduates the Dignity they deserve. At the same time I think making arrests and denying children their rightfully earned diploma is going way too far. I hope the family whose son was denied a diploma because of their actions sues the hell out of that school.
Now I see where the child gets it from.
June 6th, 2012
9:19 am
First off let me say that no individuals were arrested for cheering too loud. The individuals were warned before the start of the CEREMONY that this type of behavior would not be tolerated. However, Lil Pookie, Ray-Ray, Shanquita and Aint Mae-Mae just couldn’t help themselves. When they are asked to leave the CEREMONY they become irate and the proper criminal charges were applied. People need to learn how to follow instructions… it’s only High School.
ATC
June 6th, 2012
9:22 am
It does not appear (from the quoted language) that this young lady paid a great deal of attention in her English classes.
Koolaid House
June 6th, 2012
9:35 am
@psdad – did you graduate from high school? If you did, did you not consider a major accomplishment at that time. Absolutely amazing how people become so jaded once they age! And, the fact that one graduates from high school doesn’t mean they’ll go on to flip burgers (if they in fact can land a job) re your 8:24.
Get a grip. Graduating from high school should still be looked at as an accomplishment. SHEESH.
I agree, InfamousDK!
David
June 6th, 2012
9:35 am
To hold a child’s diploma and give him community service punishment because of that child’s family’s cheering actions is “ludicrous”. That’s like Muslims beating a boys sister because he was caught talking to a prostitute. Stop the ceremony, remove the offending parties and that would discourage others from the same actions. But to hold the child’s diploma is punishing the wrong party. As for me, If I was his parent I would see a lawyer, demand his diploma and an apology!
MsATL
June 6th, 2012
9:44 am
I beileve that the arrest was excessive. That said, when my son graduated from high school a couple of weeks ago, I was extremely proud of him. Yes, in today’s time, high school graduation is indeed a big accomplishment. There were several groups at the graduation who screamed, hollered, and stomped on the benches, drowning out the name of the next graduate. I find that to be inconsiderate and rude and wanted to say something to them myself. You can be proud but still classy and respectful.
Sunny
June 6th, 2012
9:49 am
While I believe that jail time is harsh, I certainly understand the request for decorum at graduation ceremonies. I remember crying through my entire undergrad ceremony because I thought my family had failed to show up (you could’ve heard a pin drop after they called my name). The problem was that not only were the family of the previous graduate yelling like idiots, the announcer botched my name in the midst of the commotion so my family didn’t hear my name at all. It’s not a good feeling at all.
luangtom
June 6th, 2012
9:50 am
Tony@4:43 says it all. He was there. Why the bruhaha for elementary or high school graduation? Knowing the CRCT needed to pass or fail makes one wonder what sort of accomplishment this really is? I cannot fathom why parents cannot learn to control themselves when they are to be role-models for their children? Rules are rules, get over it.
George
June 6th, 2012
9:56 am
I’m not a big fan of the ACLU, but one of their attorneys will jump all over this, get the arrest thrown out and get a huge payday for those who’ve been arrested or threatened with arrest. Freedom of speech, (sometimes even obnoxious speech) is guaranteed by the Constitution.
Aquagirl
June 6th, 2012
9:58 am
If I was his parent I would see a lawyer, demand his diploma and an apology!
Good for you! Because what our schools need are more entitled parents with lawyers howling over their precious snowflakes!
Most graduates have tickets for their ceremonies and therefore they determine who attends. Maybe if “the child” (who is most likely 18) has screaming, gibbering yayhoos in the family, this is a good opportunity for “the child” to learn a lesson in responsibility and making hard choices. Lord knows they didn’t learn that from their lawyer-wielding enabler parents, so it’s got to come from somewhere.
TBONE
June 6th, 2012
10:02 am
RULES ARE RULES AND THEY ARE PUT IN PLACE FOR A REASON. AND THIS SIMPLE REQUEST HAS BEEN IN PLACE FOR YEARS. FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHY IT IS IN PLACE, WELL HERE YOU GO. THE RULE ALLOWS EVERYONE TO HEAR THERE CHILDS NAME CALLED, AND IT SPEEDS THINGS ALONG, YOUR ON A TIME LIMIT. WE CAN ALL SING TOGETHER BUT WE CAN NOT TALK TOGETHER.
Jazzmine
June 6th, 2012
10:08 am
WHAT!!!!!!!!!!!!! y’all crazy!! how dare you judge that persons level of celebration or praise. you have no idea what might have transpired in their lives. she may have barely graduated due to a number of reasons..(ie: illness, death or whatever).. if we stop putting so many people in one school, maybe just maybe we can spare 30 seconds for celebration! #SpreadThePeace
HallCounty
June 6th, 2012
10:10 am
At my nephews graduation in a Hall Co. HS, the graduates were told that their diploma would be withheld if their family cheered during the ceremony. An annoucement was made before the ceremony saying you could stand when your graduates name was called to honor your graduate. So, when one of the Special Ed graduates name was called the whole graduating class stood up. Now that was awesome!
Koolaid House
June 6th, 2012
10:13 am
That is awesome HallC!
Jazzmine
June 6th, 2012
10:16 am
really Repulsed…. u have no idea why they were celebration for a high school graduation.. have you NOT seen the news & know that only 75% of USA kids are actually graduating.. stop judging and let’s find a way to incorporate celebrations.
Jazzmine
June 6th, 2012
10:17 am
love it HallC… that’s exactly what we need. if you do not want the raucous celebrations, find another way to help the families celebrate & recognize their students success.
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.
Nunna Yobinnes
June 6th, 2012
12:50 pm
Perhaps the best solution would be to have two graduation ceremonies. One for the barn yard animal crowd and one for the civilized human beings. Unfortunately the teachers and administration would be stuck attending both events. Shame that we can’t all control ourselves for a few hours so that the ceremonies don’t have to be so long, everyone can hear their family member’s name announced and then everyone celebrate at the end, as was requested by this particular school board. Apparently this woman just felt she was just too special to follow the rules, and then acted like an even bigger jerk when removed from the ceremony.
Glen
June 6th, 2012
12:51 pm
I attended a graduation last month, and if I can help it I’ll not attend another one! The animal like yelling many people, some types of people more than others, makes the event low class. Seriously people…shut the hell up and clap politely so everyone’s name can be heard! It’s not that tough.
Noise maker
June 6th, 2012
12:53 pm
After reading all the comments here, I am convinced that next year I should plan to attend as many graduation events as possible and scream and yell the entire time until I am forcibly removed from the property. Then everybody there will have something to whine about.
BB
June 6th, 2012
12:56 pm
People today don’t know how to behave in public. Sadly, they see this kind of trashy behavior on so-called reality shows with people screaming at each other and pitching unholy fits in public. Whatever happened to plain old politeness and decorum? I would be mortified if a family member of mine behaved this way in public. Thank goodness my children feel the same way. Trashy is trashy no matter where you are!
Nunna Yobinnes
June 6th, 2012
12:56 pm
@Theracist – No problem, just be careful where you step.
Sue
June 6th, 2012
12:59 pm
I graduated back in the 60’s. Even back then, parents, families and friends were asked to reframe from applause or cheering until the last student had received his/her diploma. The students had worked hard for years, to earn the right to hear their name called and not be drowned out by cheering and load applause by somebody in the audience. It’s the student’s day not the noise makers. Respect for those simple, sensible requests seems to be slipping away in todays society. Shame on them! Congrats students.
SCJ
June 6th, 2012
1:07 pm
Arrest is a bit much. Now, escorting them out is fine. But to arrest them is disrepectful. Many schools tell you to wait until the last person on the row has received their diplomas before applause and cheers. And, in a recent graduation, the police escorted out those who did not comply. But to waste tax payer dollars on an arrest that has NO merit is foolish!!! And those cops (as well as those who order those arrest) should be ordered to repay the city for such Tom Foolery!!!
Nunna Yobinnes
June 6th, 2012
1:09 pm
@SCJ – I’m sorry, but I don’t think Tom Foolery graduated this year.
Nunna Yobinnes
June 6th, 2012
1:10 pm
If we’re lucky, someone will have video of the woman’s behavior, and provided to the court when her case is heard.
DB
June 6th, 2012
1:17 pm
@Ien Robertson: “People today are not expected to have emotions and celebrate.” Your logic is completely messed up, beause it assumes that people YESTERDAY were expected to have emotions and celebrate, which is clearly NOT the case, as most people remember graduation ceremonies of yesteryear as ceremonies of decorum. If a parent was proud back then, a few tears might escape, but they weren’t jumping up and down like escapees from an insane asylum.
These parents have confused the graduation ceremony with a party. Not every event is a part — some are ceremonies that mark significant passages. Even NFL plays get fined for “excessive celebration”. If the parents want to scream and yell and make fools of themselves, they should wait until AFTER the ceremony.
Hillbilly D
June 6th, 2012
1:49 pm
Not only do the kids think they are the center of the universe, but so do their parents.
There’s the source of most of our problems today and the acorn don’t fall far from the tree, as they say.
John
June 6th, 2012
2:13 pm
It’s the type of rude behavior that has been tolerated too long. Lady, shut your damn mouth.
TheGoldenRam
June 6th, 2012
2:16 pm
How about this plan? I’ve devised it based on merit.
We announce the graduates in order of class rank. That way the high achievers will all be able to hear their names called within an environment of respect & decorum. After your name is called, you & your family are free to leave. Consider it a reward proportional to your academic achievement. You did well so you sacrifice less both in time and aggravation. The top of the class will invariably have their sights set on college, so the ceremony isn’t going to hold the same prestige for them as it does for others. Those families get to leave before the occasion devolves into a circus at the back end of the line. Everybody wins (except teachers who have to stay through the whole thing, but they’re so used to being dumped on it probably wouldn’t phase them).
To really get some bang for the buck, bring in researchers and college students to study the correlation between academic achievement and familial self-respect, self-control and self-discipline.
KGray
June 6th, 2012
2:17 pm
I will be graduating this fall and will be receiving my Master’s and I have warned my family that we are a dignified family and if any of them act a fool and continue to call my name and or applaud loudly. They will be cut off from any family functions being held at my home; because, it’s not like I’m the first to receive a Master’s in the family.
Precious
June 6th, 2012
2:18 pm
They Violated This Mom Constitutions Rights
Precious
June 6th, 2012
2:29 pm
you have to give up a right for someone eles Wrong but
that’s
okay let God Handle it
Just wow.
June 6th, 2012
2:30 pm
“They Violated This Mom Constitutions Rights”
That will never stop being funny (and sad).
CobbTeach
June 6th, 2012
2:31 pm
Students invite people to their graduation ceremony – not a party at school. The parents should have been asked to leave, but being arrested seems a bit harsh. Each student has worked hard and deserves their moment to shine. Allowing 400+ families per graduation to whoop and holler would make the ceremony excruciatingly long.
The notion that some people think that all of the noise and commotion is acceptable is exactly why I still have to make teaching manners and respect a part of my elementary school curriculum every year.
AC
June 6th, 2012
2:38 pm
Americans are a scary bunch. Jail time for non violent behaviour? I’m thinking 1930s here, so glad I’m not living in the States. No guarantee I won’t be bombed by the same goosesteppers though…
Brainiac
June 6th, 2012
2:42 pm
@ Len Robertson:
People like you are responsible for idiotic displays we now face at ceremonies such as this!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
No respect for anybody includuding themselves!!!!!!
Like them you possibly/probably never graduated from High School!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
phil
June 6th, 2012
2:43 pm
Follow the RULES, idiots. Be quiet and respectful…
As for punishing the graduate, that’s not right.
phil
June 6th, 2012
2:44 pm
Precious
June 6th, 2012
2:18 pm
They Violated This Mom Constitutions Rights
***************
If a constitutional right fell from the sky and hit you in the head, you wouldn’t know what it is.
Go back to school.
Nunna Yobinnes
June 6th, 2012
2:49 pm
Golden Ram – I think your idea is extraordinary and should become statewide policy. That way, when your child is finished you can leave and the ones that want to yell and scream can do so to their hearts’ content. I feel sorry for the faculty that has to wait through the whole thing though. Maybe the faculty could attend in split shifts.
TheGoldenRam
June 6th, 2012
2:56 pm
Thank you Nunna.
I think my idea would work pretty well.
It’s also much more politically correct than my first plan.
That was…
The top half of the graduating class holds their ceremony at the traditional venue.
The bottom half of the graduating class holds their ceremony at the local Chuck E. Cheese.
TeacherMom4
June 6th, 2012
3:02 pm
GoldenRam, I love both of your ideas!
Turn the Tasers ON!
June 6th, 2012
3:12 pm
This is not a sporting event….this is not a party….after she was told one time, the POLICE should have turned the TASERS loose on her, then she would have had something to yell about.
Educated One
June 6th, 2012
3:29 pm
Precious
June 6th, 2012
2:18 pm
They Violated This Mom Constitutions Rights
You obviously have not ever stepped foot near a graduation of any kind.
On the subject matter, I agree with the comments that this type of behavior is completely disrespectful and a downright sign of how selfish Americans are.
I just got home from a trip to Germany and I can honestly say that Germans do NOT act like this. They follow the rules for pretty much everything and they act 110% more civilized than the majority of Americans, though, I should say more civilized than American’s that make less than about $35,000 a year and are on at least 1 or 2 government programs.
And, once again, lets be honest here, if you have to yell and scream at your kid who is graduating something as measly as high school, then you have really set the bar awful low for your kid. Half of the kids there probably shouldn’t be graduating anyways.
DebbieDoRight
June 6th, 2012
4:04 pm
Educated One – You must’ve never been to an Oktoberfest!
Lower-class citizens need public taming
June 6th, 2012
4:12 pm
@educated one: unfortunately, there probably are correlations between poverty and social misbehavior. It would be interesting if a social scientist somewhere would set up studies to actually quantify this. Other variables may have to be substituted instead of income level since it would be difficult to determine how much someone makes by their public behavior.
Champ
June 6th, 2012
4:16 pm
In the African American Church often the pastor say stand up, clap your hands and give God praise. The people will half-heartedly praise God because the pastor told them to do it. People don’t like being told what to do so; I believe the graduation Marshall/official should make the following statement “I DEMAND everybody in this arena/gym/stadium stand up, high 5, chest or fist bump and scream to the top of your lung your graduate name and/or nickname for 5 minutes or until your voice gives out or whichever comes first.” Then DEMAND them to get back up and cheer for about 2 more minutes for before they announce the graduates name…I bet that would put a stop to it.
Nunna Yobinnes
June 6th, 2012
4:36 pm
Golden Ram – your second idea is also an excellent one.
Champ – your idea has a lot of merit to it also. Perhaps if they had demanded that the parents yell and scream, none of them would have done it.
Nancy
June 6th, 2012
5:17 pm
I think this really comes down to appropriate behavior for the setting. A graduation is a wonderful accomplishment, and in some families, it might be the first member to achieve such an accomplishment. Enthusiasm is understandable…HOWEVER…part of maturing is learning what behavior is appropriate when…cheering at a sporting event is ok…cheering during a ceremony that should be dignified and decorous is not. I have noticed that all it takes is a couple of families to break the “rule” and suddenly everyone feels like they now HAVE to cheer when their child walks. Set a good example for your kids…show them that you know what is appropriate for the setting…then when you go outside after the graduation ceremony, whoop and holler all you want!
alch
June 6th, 2012
5:42 pm
Where is the Like button? @Golden Ram, great idea!
And this is why I attend graduation when I have to…if my kid is graduating. I work in higher ed and skip Commencement every year. People do not know how to behave…too boisterous for my taste. It is a Commencement Ceremony…the beginning, not the end!
Kat
June 6th, 2012
5:54 pm
“Yesterday can’t be replaced… My mama went to jail on my graduation day,” Iesha Cooper, 18, told the station. (aka: A huge pile of cash just MIGHT make me okay again after having my feelings hurt…which by the way I didn’t know she had been taken to jail until AFTER graduation.
Lock them up
June 6th, 2012
6:02 pm
I couldn’t hear my nephew’s speech at his graduation because of the disrespectful people in the auditorium. He was so upset and my family was pissed, I’m glad she was locked up! I wish a certain race of people had more etiquette
RK
June 6th, 2012
6:42 pm
There is a direct correlation between the decibel level of the ‘cheering’ and the lack of intelligence in that family.
Of course, if this is the very first child in the entire family
to finish high school, I can kind of understand the excitement.
RK
June 6th, 2012
6:47 pm
Goldenram
I LOVE your idea of awarding diplomas in the order of the class rank. EXCELLENT idea!!
Charlie Law
June 6th, 2012
6:56 pm
Get schooled: you + all = y’all, not ya’ll.
The apostrophe represents the letters “lost” in the contraction.
OldBravesBag
June 6th, 2012
7:20 pm
If they told the parents they could go crazy after all the names were called….scream, carry on, blow horns, shake cow bells, and the like….maybe that would help. My son’s graduation was like that, and my daughter’s college graduation. I’ve never seen such disrespect. But I understand excitement, so giving them the chance after it’s over would be a compromise. Just let everyone out that doesn’t want their ear drums blown to bits. Arrests and withholding diplomas are not necessary.
Barack O
June 6th, 2012
7:48 pm
Lemme guess. The family in question was a white, middle class family where both parents work, obey the law, and care for their kids?
No? Seriously?
Archie
June 6th, 2012
8:25 pm
@BB: Plain old politeness and decorum and Southern hospitality in Georgia has gone the way of the five-cent candy bar. The last high school graduation I had the doubtful privilege of attending in 2001, left me thinking at the end: “The preceding program was taped before a live laugh-track machine, it threw up.”
Lil' Barry Bailout
June 6th, 2012
8:35 pm
It’s great to see the jerks get what they deserve.
Po Dunk
June 6th, 2012
8:43 pm
And once again yet another high school trying to act like or above the law. The kid earned his diploma. It is a record. He is not responsible for his guests. Does he have to get a writ of mandamus to get you to do your job? You stupid, pedantic, glorified baby sitter. You have no legal authority to withhold a rightfully earned diploma, Styles. Do stop making yourself look stupider and give up the documents lest you get “schooled” by the judiciary. And truly, if conspiracy is a prosecutor’s best friend, “disorderly conduct” as a charge is the same for law enforcement. Don’t need to prove much. Don’t let the facts get in the way. (Cf this case from last year when a man faked his mom’s death to get time off work. The charge? Disorderly conduct. http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504083_162-57340550-504083/man-fakes-moms-death-to-get-paid-time-off-from-work-say-pa-cops/) Hope he fought it.
Xeno Phobe
June 6th, 2012
8:48 pm
Germans do NOT act like this. Nah. They’re too busy discriminating against Arabs, criticizing the US, and planning their next foray into genocide and bailing out Greece. They also love dogs, hate children, and but of the immigrants, would have a negative birth rate. Of course they don’t act like this. There aren’t enough natives to justify having the ceremonies.
krar
June 7th, 2012
1:21 pm
Why is AJC wasting space on this issue? I have had 3 children graduate from large public High Schools and 2 of those 3 graduate from college and the emotions expressed by some families is easy to overlook. We arrest parents for their celebrations but crime is overlooked in our schools and communities. For some families their graduates are the first is several generations.
Garry Owen
June 7th, 2012
4:01 pm
As I retired school administrator I saw students acting in the school the same way parents acted at school events even when the ground rules for proper conduct were presented in clear and concise terms. Want to know why schools are having a hard time educating students? Watch their parents!
Misha
June 8th, 2012
1:52 pm
Welcome to the police state…