Here's one of those times when I would love to be a plaintiff's lawyer -- I imagine that one could really take this school district to the cleaners.

A high school that had warned against undignified behavior at its graduation ceremony denied diplomas to five students after enthusiastic friends or family members cheered for them during the commencement program.

On May 27, Galesburg High School students and their parents were asked to sign a contract promising to act in dignified way. Violators were warned they could be denied their diplomas and barred from an after-graduation party.

Many schools ask spectators to hold applause and cheers until the ceremonies end but few rigidly enforce the policy.

“It was like one of the worst days of my life,” said Caisha Gayles, one of the five students, who officially graduated, but does not have her diploma to frame and hang on her wall. “You walk across the stage and then you can’t get your diploma because of other people cheering for you. It was devastating.”

The school said the five students can still get their diplomas by completing eight hours of public service, answering phones, sorting books or doing other work for the district.

Uhhhh -- wrong. These kids have already earned their diplomas. They met all requirements established by the state and by the district. Indeed, you even announced as much at graduation that day when some district official announced that the graduates had met all those requirements and you called them across the stage. To impose an additional requirement after the fact -- especially based upon the behavior of other individuals rather than the students themselves -- is hardly reasonable. The actions of other school districts in removing the actual disruptive parties is much more reasonable and defenable.

And there is an additional question -- how far can a district go in denying diplomas? My district had to face that issue eight or nine years ago when a young man decided to moon the graduation crowd. Now he didn't drop trou -- he just raised his gown and shook his butt around at the crowd -- but the district tried to withhold his diploma, only to find itself open to some serious legal issues (especially since that action would have cost the young idiot an full-ride athletic scholarship). And that was for actions committed by the graduate himself, not some family member, friend, or (as one student suggested) enemy looking to cause trouble.

Posted by: Greg at 12:30 AM | Comments (8) | Add Comment
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