Sparks and Butterflies...

GALESBURG, Ill. (June 7) – Five students will get the diplomas they were denied when cheers erupted for them at a high school graduation, and school officials said Wednesday they would review a get-tough decorum policy.

full article here

OK, picture this if you could… This isn’t necessarilly the situation here, I’m just painting you a picture.

You’re 17 or 18. Your graduating high school. It’s been a rough 4 years, but you’re graduating, baby! Perhaps, you’re the first person in your family to graduate high school. Perhaps, you overcame serious obstacles. Perhaps, you’ve been accepted to the Ivy League, and this is that first initial wonderful step. You walk across the stage, and your family, somewhere out there in the audience, is yelling and clapping and cheering for you. You’re slightly embarrassed, ’cause like, geeeeeez moooooom, but at the same time you’re please as punch for the attention, and the acknowledgment of your accomplishment – ’cause you did it, man!

As you make your way across the stage, put your right hand out to handshake, and your left for your diploma, and the school official says, “No. I’m sorry, but you’ve violated our decorum policy. Please take your seat.”

You walk back to your seat crushed, humiliated, confused, and now wondering if you’ve even officially graduated.

Something like this happened to five students at Galesburg High School.

The school had implemented a decorum policy in order to make their graduation ceremonies, well, more decorous. And withheld their diplomas because of their families’ cheering.

Utterly, utterly ridiculous.

After several meetings with school officials, and finally getting a lawyer involved, these kids got their diplomas. They had officially graduated – that wasn’t the thing – but they earned those diplomas and wanted them. As well they should.

The diplomas were withheld because the school said cheering violated a school policy aimed at restoring graduation decorum. The students still were considered graduates on paper, but they didn’t have a diploma.

Basically the lawyer got the Board of Education in on it, who said they couldn’t support the school’s position, because the students cannot control the actions of others, merely their own behavior.

Damn straight.

They finally were able to pick up their diplomas from the school secretary. The principal couldn’t be bothered.

Decorum, indeed.