Mother Cheers During Graduation -- Arrested

[OnlySunshine]

This is the lamest thing ever! Since when is it a crime to be happy for your kids when they graduate high school?

http://reason.com/blog/2012/06/10/south-carolina-cops-arrest-jail-woman-fo



[quote]
[b] [url="http://reason.com/blog/2012/06/10/south-carolina-cops-arrest-jail-woman-fo"]South Carolina Cops Arrest, Jail Woman for Cheering During Her Daughter's High School Graduation[/url][/b]

[url="http://reason.com/people/mike-riggs/all"]Mike Riggs[/url] | June 10, 2012

Parents attending graduation at South Florence High School in Florence, South Carolina, were asked to hold their applause until the end of the ceremony, but Shannon Cooper couldn't resist cheering as her daughter, Iesha Cooper, walked across the stage.

Cooper knew she'd violated the rules, so after Iesha had walked off stage, she got up from her seat and started to leave. Before she could get out of the civic center where the ceremony was being held, she [url="http://www.carolinalive.com/news/story.aspx?id=761693#.T9TwPuJYsoW"] was handcuffed by officers from the Florence Police Department[/url] and escorted through where graduating students were seated, taken outside, and put in a police van, where she sat in plain view of the other families and students for 45 minutes as her daughter cried in the parking lot.

Florence police charged Cooper with disorderly conduct despite the fact that she did not protest the escort. She was kept in detention for several hours and posted bail in time to take her daughter out to dinner. Her trial is on June 13.

WPDE in Florence, which broke the story, [url="http://www.carolinalive.com/news/story.aspx?id=762804#.T9TwQ-JYsoV"] has an update[/url], including reactions from the Florence PD and the superintendent of schools, both of whom believe the arresting officers were firmly in the right:[indent]
Florence police said it was announced before the ceremony that anyone who cheered or screamed would be escorted out of the building, and those who were disorderly, were arrested.

Florence Police Chief Anson Shells disagrees with Cooper's defense and said the facts of the case will come out at the trial.

He talked to us Wednesday for the first time since Cooper's arrest.

"The last thing that any of us wanted to see happen was somebody end up being arrested during a graduation ceremony," Shells told us, "But, unfortunately people can not be allowed to disrupt a ceremony to the point where everyone can't enjoy it, and unfortunately that's what happened in this case."

Shells said he stands by his officers and believes Cooper's arrest was lawful.
The superintendent of Florence School District One, Dr. Allie Brooks, is also [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bKYleMEwj0w&feature=youtu.be"]responding to the criticism[/url] handed out since the story went viral.

Brooks said they call parents, send letters, and warn them during the ceremony of the consequences of cheering.

"Our public relations officer, Mrs. Pamela McDaniel, can show you evidence of what was done by all the schools both verbally and in writing. Now that's at least four occasions before you get to the ultimate of being asked to be out," said Dr. Brooks.

Brooks said they hired 30 law enforcement officers to work the district's three graduations, at a cost that was higher than they paid to rent the Florence Civic Center.

Brooks commended the police officers for doing what they did to ensure safety and order at the graduation ceremonies.[/indent]
[/quote]

[Groo the Wanderer]

good for them! tired of idiot parents that don;t have a clue about proper decorum during these events. some go way over the top. i get embarrassed for the kids.

screaming is way out of bounds

fools probably talk and use cell phones during concerts too

[Basilisa Marie]

My high school band director once told us that the louder a cheer a student got as he walked across the stage, the more surprising it was that he actually graduated.

I've been to a graduation every year for the last nine years (YAY band!), and I think some schools ask people to hold their applause because 1) loud applause can be distracting and drown out the next person's name and 2) It's REALLY awkward when a bunch of people in a row get lots of applause and whatnot and then you have a person followed by crickets. It's like one last, giant reminder that "oh yeah, you're not worth as much as the popular kids."

[Papist]

I always thought it was to save time.

[Basilisa Marie]

[quote name='Papist' timestamp='1339510883' post='2443885']
I always thought it was to save time.
[/quote]

That too.

[homeschoolmom]

It's rude to cheer-- especially when you are reminded not to. It's not a sporting event.

[Lilllabettt]

So ... Mom 1. Knew it was wrong 2. Did it anyway (Great example for your kid, Mom, just as she is embarking on adulthood.)
A whole bunch of graduating kids learned that consequences don't stop after school is over.

Sounds okay to me.

We had a talent show this year during which I would have liked to have some of the parents arrested. My 6 year-olds were better behaved.

P.S. Loud cheering because your kid made it through high school? A little bit sad.

[ThePenciledOne]

That is ridiculous.

What happened to rules serving humanity, instead of humanity serving the rules/laws?

Total phooie, though I wanna use stronger language than that.

[Anomaly]

[quote name='ThePenciledOne' timestamp='1339512940' post='2443895']
That is ridiculous.

What happened to rules serving humanity, instead of humanity serving the rules/laws?

Total phooie, though I wanna use stronger language than that.
[/quote]WTH does that mean? IDGI.

[Cherie]

I think handcuffing her was a bit over the top, no?

But she was certainly out of line to cheer when they specifically told people not to. Like Lilllibettt said, what a bad example to set for your child, especially as she is embarking on adulthood! She did merit being escorted out. The arrest? That just doesn't sit well with me.

[MissScripture]

[quote name='CherieMadame' timestamp='1339515726' post='2443906']
I think handcuffing her was a bit over the top, no?

But she was certainly out of line to cheer when they specifically told people not to. Like Lilllibettt said, what a bad example to set for your child, especially as she is embarking on adulthood! She did merit being escorted out. The arrest? That just doesn't sit well with me.
[/quote]
Yes, I agree with consequences being acceptable. I don't think arresting her was really necessary, unless there is more to the story that we're not being told.

[PhuturePriest]

[quote name='Basilisa Marie' timestamp='1339509448' post='2443879']
My high school band director once told us that the louder a cheer a student got as he walked across the stage, the more surprising it was that he actually graduated.

I've been to a graduation every year for the last nine years (YAY band!), and I think some schools ask people to hold their applause because 1) loud applause can be distracting and drown out the next person's name and 2) It's REALLY awkward when a bunch of people in a row get lots of applause and whatnot and then you have a person followed by crickets. It's like one last, giant reminder that "oh yeah, you're not worth as much as the popular kids."
[/quote]

I suppose this means I would get louder cheers than Justin Bieber at the music awards?

Really, I can understand 100% why they would make this rule. At my sister's college graduation some people yelled obnoxiously loud, and then the next person would go up and he wouldn't get any applause at all. I remember one of the last guys was about twenty-eight and he was getting his Ph.D or something extremely difficult and impressive like that, and he didn't get one cheer. It was sad because from what I saw of him he was a really nice guy. I'm almost certain he was married and had a child, too.

One thing I think that says something about this whole thing is that she tried to leave. I don't think arresting her was a good idea even with that factor, though.

[Anomaly]

[quote name='CherieMadame' timestamp='1339515726' post='2443906']
I think handcuffing her was a bit over the top, no?

But she was certainly out of line to cheer when they specifically told people not to. Like Lilllibettt said, what a bad example to set for your child, especially as she is embarking on adulthood! She did merit being escorted out. The arrest? That just doesn't sit well with me.
[/quote]We weren't there, so we don't know if handcuffing her over the top. The mom obviously doesn't know how to judge her behavior when after being told how to behave, she decided it was okay to behave otherwise.

I'll give the benefit of the doubt to the handcuffers, not the handcuffee knowing full well I wasn't there and it could go either way.


At least she wasn't tased.

[Vincent Vega]

I echo the sentiments that believe the woman deserved to be taken out.

When I graduated from high school, my family - including my 92-year-old great grandmother who had travelled about 1100 miles to be there - was seated in front of a family of about 15 individuals who apparently, judging from their yelling, airhorns, and general decorum, were under the impression that they were at an event set-up by FIFA.

They, along with many others, yelled throughout the [i]entire[/i] ceremony, including through all of the speeches of those individuals who had asked to make them (which is why my great grandmother had bothered to make the trip), making it impossible for any of my family to hear a word I was saying.

After asking the soccer fans to quiet down in a civlized manner, the patriarch of the tribe flew off the handle at my father, at which point my father apparently began to use his choicer cuts of vocabulary in return. The man began to become physically threatening, and a sheriff's deputy was called over (there were many stationed around the arena where graduation took place...wonder why...). Unfortunately he did approximately nothing, and since the situation was still escalated, and they had already missed my speaking, they elected to leave the arena instead of remaining spectators at an exercise in futility. My family's experience was not unique, either. Many of my classmates and those who came to support them reported similar circumstances.

I wish the officer at my graduation had acted like the officer in the story. It would have made my experience much better. I'm not generally a legalist, but since this sort of event is a special day for many, if you break a rule like the one this lady broke, you deserve to be taken out. That day is not just about you and your child - you are not the only one in attendance. If you choose to hamper the enjoyment of the occasion by others, then you have chosen to be removed from the venue. Simple as that.

[ClareOfAssisi]

Here in South Africa, black parents often ululate loudly when their kids graduate (whether highschool or varsity). I find it sweet.

Yes, they were warned beforehand not to do that but, seriously, arrested and escorted out in front of the whole school? That is beyond ridiculous.

Cheering a little for your daughter (because you're happy for her) isn't the same as acting in a rude or obnoxious way throughout the ceremony.

At the very most, I think all the needed to do is have someone go over to her and ask her to remain silent for the duration of the ceremony. It would only warrant being escorted out of the building (discreetly) if she continued. Arresting her is ridiculous.