Five Students Denied Diplomas at Galesburg, Ill., Graduation Because of Cheering at Ceremony
Schools in Illinois, Indiana Start Enforcing No-Cheering Policy
Why did they not get their diplomas? Supporters cheered as they walked across the stage, a violation of a policy parents signed on May 27 promising to behave in a civil matter. Violations could mean students would not receive their diplomas.
Everyone was asked to hold their applause until after the ceremony was over which is common practice in schools across the country. Not all schools enforce the policy.
According to the New York Times, Caisha Gayles, one of the students who did not get a diploma, commented: "It was one of the worst days of my life. You walk across the stage and then you can't get your diploma because of other people cheering for you. It was devastating ,actually." Gayles graduated with a 3.4 grade average.
The students can receive the diplomas after completing eight hours of community service by answering phones or sorting books. Indianapolis schools also recently enforced a policy allowing relatives to be thrown out of ceremonies. The president of the Indianapolis School Board said on CBS news that "it is an important and solemn occasion. There's plenty of time for celebration after."
Gayles' mother plans to fight for her daughter's diploma even if it means going to court. School officials are prepared to hear appeals by students and parents.
Some think those denied were targeted because of race. Four of the students denied were black and one was Hispanic. Cheers rang out for white students but they were not denied diplomas.
Principal Tom Chiles denies the incidents had anything to do with race. Decisions were made according to the amount of disruption. Other students who were minorities got their diplomas. "It doesn't matter how hard you work, you get discriminated against," Gailes said, according to ABCnews.com. The American Civil Liberties Union reported it did not raise any concern with them and it is within the school's ability to control these situations.
Galesburg is a working community of 34,000 that suffered a setback when a refrigerator company of 1,600 employees shut down in 2004. The policy came about from a ceremony in 2005 that was drowned out by whoops and hollers, setting off fights among spectators. Some parents complained they could not hear their child's name called. The policy was made to bring back dignity and honor. Many feel to hold students accountable is an outrage.
Sources:
"Please Don't Cheer the Graduates"
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/06/01/national/main2876555.shtml
"Diplomas Denied Over Graduation Cheers"
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/03/us/03graduation.html?em&ex=1181016000&en=23d3e437117f2353&ei=5087%0A
"Diplomas Denied'
http://www.abcnews.go.com/GMA/story?id=3239582
"Diplomas Denied Over Graduation Cheers"
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/03/us/03graduation.html?em&ex=1181016000&en=23d3e437117f2353&ei=5087%0A
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9 Comments
Post a CommentI am a native of a small town in Southern Illinois. I am usually drawn to news from my "home state", particularly the "small towns".
After hearing about this incident re the withholding of the diplomas via news item on TV this past weekend then again on 1290 Talk Radio Station in Milwaukee, I could not help but respond by seeking more info about it. I located your email address via the internet.
I am deeply concerned about the administration /authorities who are responsible for the disciplinary actions brought against these students. Have they forgotten the definition of a diploma, itself? It is to my understanding that the word diploma is defined as a document reflecting merit or honor, etc., toward an accomplishment by someone (Webster's dictionary defines it pretty much the same... it states "a writing under seal conferring some honor or privilege/a document bearing record of graduation from or of a degree conferred by an educational institution.") It is to my unders
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Wait until all of the noise has stopped and there is complete silence, they will stop being so loud for so long when they are numb from sitting so long!...There has got to be an answer to our differences....I have raised 6 boys, my baby is graduating next June. I plan on whooping it up to the high heavens and thanking my lord, I am free at last! We need more positive things to happen in our young peoples lives...I enjoy seeing the uniqueness of a families way of showing their appreciation for a job well done! Hip-hip-hooray, hip-hip-hooray, this is for all of those who don't realize what they are giving up, and for the ones too afraid to cross the lines, and finally for the students who are surrounded by joyless, control freaks who have forgotten what it felt like to hear someone cheer for you! Thought to ponder, should we stop all standing ovations for Board of Education members etc... See how far this ignorance and pettiness can go! We are adults lets act like adults an
This is still america isn't it? What is happening to our freedom of speech... I was at a very large graduation commencement this weekend and hardly anyone moved... There was no smiling, hardly any joy, like usual the politically correctness has gone to far! I can understand if people attending are so loud and boisterous that the names cannot be heard, but when they use the word dignified and solemn to describe graduating and say we can celebrate afterwards fear not, next year that will be in the contract too and punishable...We have got to get back some balance before we lose it all. People it is time to make some noise about the positives in our lives, the negatives are drowning us all out. These situations are destroying our hearts, our dreams, the very things we look forward to after a long hard day... Find another solution, get a screen and type their names across the stage, have a student walk across with their name on a poster board of some type, wait until there is complet
At least one of the graduates stated that it was not her family who defied the rules. Aren't schools savvy enough to realize that a rule such as this ridiculous one invites enemies of a student to make a fuss and cause a problem for the student? At least one article I read stated that not only did they not receive the diploma, but they were also denied access to the party. How fair is that? However said, "Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely," must have been dealing with the public education establishment. Their "zero tolerance" seems to apply to common sense mostly!
Good story. That is one of the most outrageous things I have ever read in my life. I guess the school board members think they were elected as kings, not to a local school board.
At my son's graduation when they called his name,my wife and I kept silent,but he had many friends that didn't. What could he possibly do about this? It's not just the parents who cheered.Students should not be held accountable for something they can't control.This is is an great injustice that demands correction.
Good article...If the high school must have this rule, then people violating it should be penalized, not students who happened to be on the stage when cheering occured.
I think the decision to with hold those diplomas is outragous! It was a HS graduation and of course parents and loved ones will be excited for their kids. In the world we live in today, kids face many challenges, including peer pressure and violence. So to have your kid get through those crazy years and graduate is cause for applause.
Wow. The students should not be held accountable. They did not violate the rules, and they were not physically close enough to their "fans" to quiet them down. I would definitely fight this one. The students should not have to do community service if they've met the requirements to graduate. Nice reporting.