Real, Strange News

These students were singled out because they were black plain and simple. The school is racist and everyone who was there knows it but they don't have the courage to speak up.

This does violate all the moral principles of American society.

With public schools like this, is it any wonder we re-elect war criminals to violate the human rights of millions? After all, the students learned that it is OK to punish one person for something bad another one did.

It really isn't possible to have a government run school system teach anything we want our children to know about the need to limit government power and ensure it is used appropriately.

A perfect example of what is wrong with our educational system. This is like holding a sales clerk responsible for being robbed at gun point. The community should be outraged. Those responsible should be humiliated, just as they have humiliated these innocent students, this is shameful.

As usual simple rules cannot be followed and the school is the bad guy. These students did not deserve this. But at what point do we actually hold people responsible for their actions. I've been to plenty of graduations, and the families behavior gets worse and worse each year. This school put out a warning way ahead of time, and of course the rules were not followed. Lets send this message to our kids, rules are rules, you dont have to follow them, and if you dont you wont get in trouble either. People should just do whats right, the families of these kids are to blame.

Hmmm...seems extreme liberalism and political correctness are now reaping what they have sowed. What a disgrace...what message does this send to those grads...that celebrating is wrong...good God (yep, I said God) will somebody turn off the politically correct gas that's choking this nation!

The rules were sent home in advance saying no disruptive behavior. The parents and the students signed the rules in advance saying they would not be disruptive. They were disruptive and the school did exactly, to the letter, of wat they said they would do. It is not a racially motivated issue except for the fact that the disruptive people are not white. Good on the school for saying and then DOING exactly what they said they would do.

Here is a thought! Instead of voicing our concerns on this site lets just voice our concerns to Mr. Joel Estes himself.

Mr. Joel Estes, Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum & Instruction
932 Harrison Street.,
Galesburg, IL 61402

Ph: 309.343.5717
Fx: 309.343.1319
Email: webmaster@galesburg205.org

Sorry, I couldnt find his personal email but I am sure the school would forward our concerns to his office.

Love our education system,

John Stevens
SF, CA

They probably don't know how to read those diplomas anyway!

I attended and graduated from Galesburg High School in 2003. It's ridiculous how parents and family members acted at graduation. There was no respect to other fellow graduates and their families. After graduation, my family commented after the event about how disrespectful people are. They could barely hear my name being said. If you sign a contract, that's that. Abide by it. Actions were taken appropriately. You broke the rules, deal with the consequences.

I agree parents should act respectful, but as the author points out,why not hold them responsible. Have police remove them from the gym, by force if necessary, but don't punish students who did nothing wrong for it.

This school deserves an F for its judgment

The USA public school bureaucracy is one of the last refuges for individuals who fail to master or even exercise basic skills w/r to human social interaction. In other words, they threaten and then punish the innocent, thinking that a gross demonstration of power will allow them to control the unruly. This is wrong on too many levels to discuss here. The school management may also be racist, but their primary failing is incompetence. It is the height of irony for this type of destructive behavior to be employed against a body of new graduates by their supposed teachers and role models.

Rules are rules. School said behave in a dignified way and these people behaved like animals. How are youngsters supposed to be accountable for their actions when not even their parents can keep their word?
One things for sure I betcha next year graduation will be orderly.

The one thing I have the biggest grievance with is all the people assuming that all five kids were black because of the picture. In the article it says nothing about their ethnicity.

I was there for my daughters graduation and most everyone was sickened by what happened. The cheering was minor, around 3 seconds worth and they refused to give them diplomas for that? I could barely hear it.
To answer the race question, 4 were black and one was hispanic. Some parents have met and we are considering taking on the school district over this. Galesburg High is the only school around so we have to send our children there. If we had other options we would boycott but they have a monopoly on education around here.

Well I guess if it was only minor and only 3 seconds the school should just look the other way. While were at it why not just throw at the rules altogether. Seems to me if they wouldnt have broken the rule about cheering there would be nothing to report. Why not contact those other families and blame them instead of the school. Oh wait that would mean hold them accountable. We wouldnt want to do that would we. Lets sue the school!! Do people really live in this reality?

I applaud the administration, faculty, and Board of Education at Galesburg High School for their attempts at silencing the raucus hooligans at Commencements, who, with their pre-planned, orchestrated displays and outburst, strip all dignity from a special ocassion and achievement.

Are these people so starved for attention, that they are willing to 'steal' 10-15 seconds of focus on a young person, who is their friend or family member, on his/her special moment culminating 12 years of formal schooling?

Galesburg set reasonable standards, announced expectations and consequences and received statements of compliance. Then, it held accountable those who ignored the standards--sounds like what we expect from schools.

By the way, this isn't about 'race,' it's about 'class.'

This is the problem with "reporting" done from far away, and while not in attendance; the lack of conveying the whole story.

The issue was not cheering, as this has always occurred. The issue was the horrible profanity and vulgarity that laced the "only natural cheering for joy"; this in a family environment with many small children. I agree that is a difficult proposition to punish the graduates for the actions of the audience, but having attended several graduations there, SOMETHING had to be done. I applaud the effort, if not the method.

Mr. Steiner thinks it wrong that 5 students had their diplomas withheld for the actions of others. While this is arguably true, what is completely neglected is the effect the raucous vulgarity had on EVERYONE in attendance. Next time, he should obtain all the facts and include them in the story so an accurate picture can be portrayed.

Umm, "Kevin", "ksd", "Dennis Hunt" and "Come on People" seem to be missing the point. The kids weren't violating any rules. Period. None of the children punished violated the rules.

They made no noise. Spectators made the noise. This is not hard to understand. Kids - no noise. Spectators - noise. Got it? Good.

So no, the kids should not be punished for the actions of third parties. The actions of third parties are the responsibility of said third parties.

Anyone claiming otherwise is advocating guilt by association, not justice and individual accountability - something conservatives claim to champion.

Punish those who made the noise (parents and other spectators), not those who were on the stage obeying the rules (students).

But then, I'm a rational libertarian who believes in individual responsibility - not an authority worshipping control freak who believes in punishing a son for the sins of his father.

Wow. Punishing somebody for the actions of another person. This is called fair?

Then again, I knew a few people that needed some punishment when I was in High School. It would have been easy to get ten-twenty people to scream loudly when their names were called.

As far as the first poster: racist, NO. Stupid, YES.

Just stupid. Our childred are being taught by retards.

I don't think this was a racist move as suggested below, but I've been to several high school graduations including my own 7 years ago, and it seems to be a trend that the African American families cheer loudly for their graduating kids while the white families just kept quiet. It was very annoying honestly, and the audience was told to hold the applause till the end, but without fail a good number of the African American students family's always yell for them. It is stupid to withold their diplomas, and I think a different method to discipline should be enacted, such as escorting those making loud and obnoxious noises out of the building. The cheer often times lasted long enough so that you couldn't hear the next graduates name being called over the loudspeaker.

2 simple truths: White folks can't jump and black folks can't stay quite in an auditorium/movie theater. Don't ask why, its just the way of the world.

It sounds like there wasn't a clear understanding of what "disruption" means. I fail to see what good it does to blatantly disobey rules, especially noting how important this is to one's child. So, take away the idea that the family members broke the rules out of spite. It probably was just a miscommunication on the part of the staff and parents. Next year will be better.

They still graduated..they just didn't get the piece of paper. I'm also fairly sure that if the families of the individuals took responsibility for what they did and came to the district offering to complete the community service required to receive the slip of paper, the school district would take it. There were no other options to reduce the behavior issues and if you can think of one...I suggest you call the school district...but you can't think of a better way can you?

So, "a teacher" (6/4/2007, 4:49 pm) believes in punishing innocent students to get back at parents?

Wow. I am speechless.

I sincerely hope this person does not teach in Fairfax County.

A teacher you should be fired. People like you are what makes America the laughing stock it is today.
Give these girls their diplomas and let this idiocy be over.

I am A student and I have seen blacks disrupt classrooms over and over. I pass them as I go into the classroom and still they come in late talking at the top of their voices. Four are in my math class now and they talk constantly, never take notes. The instructor has asked them repeatedly to be quiet and it does no good. They even keep talking while she is trying to make them keep quiet. She is a small woman. What is she suppose to do when someone is so disrespectful? It is stupid to say it's racial when the people of that race is causing the problem. When they are allowed to cause problems because people are affraid of being called racists, then they will used it as a weapon. It's a shame people that cause trouble aren't just kicked in the butt without looking at their color first.

I am A student and I have seen blacks disrupt classrooms over and over. I pass them as I go into the classroom and still they come in late talking at the top of their voices. Four are in my math class now and they talk constantly, never take notes. The instructor has asked them repeatedly to be quiet and it does no good. They even keep talking while she is trying to make them keep quiet. She is a small woman. What is she suppose to do when someone is so disrespectful? It is stupid to say it's racial when the people of that race is causing the problem. When they are allowed to cause problems because people are affraid of being called racists, then they will used it as a weapon. It's a shame people that cause trouble aren't just kicked in the butt without looking at their color first.

Bonnie... way to generalize and blanket an entire culture. Do you have anything good to say, or was that simple case study your only reference?

We have a shock and awe story like this every year. The administrators are obviously not perfect. I hope the kinks get worked out before the next graduation.

How hard is it to remain relatively quiet during this type of event. I have gone to some where the cheering is so loud that you miss other student's names being called. Is that fair to them and their families, no it is not. What are you teaching your child? You sign a contract and totally break it and we wonder why society is the way it is. No one has respect anymore for others. Let these students do their 8 hours of community service, which really is not a bad punishment then they can get their slip of paper.

Tasha, educate yourself about the facts before making yourself look like a fool.

The students didn't break any contract. They weren't the ones making noise.

Adults in the audience made the noise. Adults in the audience are not being punished.

Students on the stage - not making noise are the ones being punished.

Why do you believe in punishing kids for acts committed by adults? This is a most bizarre and fascist mindset. Guilt by bloodline? A child must labor to pay the debt of an adult? Is this what passes for logic and justice in 2007?

This is easy enough that even a 4th grader can grasp it.

Do you understand this simple concept? If not, you may want to grasp it first, and post your thoughts second.

I have personally attended over fifty graduation ceremonies from primary school to the conferring of doctoral degrees and the solution seems quite simple.

The person or persons announcing the names of the graduates should simply wait for the cheers to end. That way, families and friends can cheer the way they like to cheer and nobody's name gets lost in the din.

Graduation ceremonies can be boring enough without great speakers, why dictate how one celebrates as well? A diploma from an institution that would resort to those tactics is not worth having.

Courtesy is not the exclusive right of the quiet.

From my experience, the amount of decorum showed at graduation ceremonies decreases over the years. It's not an issue of whether or not families should be allowed to celebrate the achivements of their children, but at what point that becomes rudeness.

Shouting, cheering, cowbells, airhorns -- okay at sporting events, but not at a relatively solemn ceremony. At a recent local graduation, the valedictorian's speech was drowned out by conversations and airhorns. (Imagine you're at a wedding, and there's a guy in the audience hooting and ringin a cowbell during the vows.) Are we to believe that grown-ups have so little self-control that they can't wait until the end of the ceremony to cheer?

The Galesburg school crossed the line -- they should not have denied diplomas to the students, regardless of how their families behaved. However, this doesn't mean that the problem of rude behavior during an important ceremony is any less legitimate.

lets foregt race and everything else for a second. The school punished the kids for their families actions. That was wrong. The ends don't justify the means. If anyone should be punished, the families should, the school could only punish the students, so they did it solely because the could.

At my recent college graduation there was a huge problem with this. There was people who were literally "screaming" and blowing air horns, so the next two to three students could not even hear their names pronounced. Students around me talked on cellphones the whole ceremony or listened to ipods, it was a complete joke. I felt there was no honor in the ceremony what so ever. IF the students were warned then its their fault. And its only 8 hours of community service, really nothing to complain about. Also is is necessary to always jump to the conclusion that it is racist? They were just being loud, plain and simple. The fact that the student was an honors student with all this achievement probably made them cheer louder.

Someone suggested waiting until the cheering has stopped to proceed to the next name. My graduation included 1,500 students and was already 3 hours long, had the speaker paused to allow for applause would have added at least 2 more hours to the ceremony.

Allison,

The students weren't the ones making the noise. Adults in the audience made the noise.

Denying kids their diplomas for what SOMEONE ELSE DID or demanding 8 hours of indentured servitude defies logic and any semblence of justice.

Try to get your facts straight.

The kids being punished weren't making any noise. Point. Blank. Period.

This is too easy a fact to miss.

Funny how it was the Nwords in the crowd who couldn't behave. That's why america needs to stay white and proud. The ex-slaves need to return to their african homes and they can be as rowdy and disrespectful as they want among themselves.

"Extreme liberalism and political correctness?"
Stop talking out of your hat.
You should know what happened in '05.
Better yet, relive it.

I am an educator in Florida. I understand the frustration of school officials, especially when one family's yelling obscures the name of the next graduate, whose family is left to ask, "Was that him? Was that her?"

But to deprive a graduate of a diploma for the actions of people in the crowd is a violation of due process. Which of us can guarantee the actions of others? Since when was it an American idea that one person should be punished for the actions of others?

This is insulting and un-American. That a black honors student was singled out reminds me of the immortal words of Elwood Blues: "I hate Illinois Nazis!"

The silly ones in this case are the parents that signed contracts obligating them to circumstances beyond their control. Anybody can make a noise or yell out at the ceremony, how can the student's parents control anonymous outburst?!?
And who actually signed these silly contracts anyway? Did that 8 year old audience member know what he was signing?
Seriously, that contract should be voided for the following reason:
- impossible for the "parents" to execute.
- the contract did not state how violaters will be recognized.
- the students are minors and can not be bound by the contract (if they had to sign).
- all the violaters just happened to be "brown", yet the school acknowledges "others" had cheering too but it wasn't "significant".
- defies basic logic (If I let my brother borrow my car and he gets stopped for driving drunk, but I get the DUI!)

To the school district - You owe those kids a public apology and some scholarship money.

I live near the area. Galesburg is a (very)predominately white town with very few blacks. The five students were all non-white students. Cheering occurred for other students too, but the administrators seemed to miss that. It is a "hank hill" or "archie bunker" type town. The people are down-homey, but not diverse in culture or ideas.

The whole thing started because some uppity-uppity people in town complained about the behavior of other cultures at past graduations. They didn't think the cheering or "unusual" handshakes and dances were formal enough. They were embarrassed for their students and their families in attendance. They complained to administrators hence the "contract" that singled out cultural differences. The people of the town pushed the school who responded by trying to force cultural mores to please the people.

The "contract" itself was a mistake and probably illegal anyway. These administrators need to be fired. They really do, all three of them. This whole situation should never have occurred. It does not teach children the correct attitudes. It is further dividing the community along racial/cultural lines. The government should step in and force the school to act with some dignity.

And if I were one of these families, I would sue the school board for allowing it to go this far. Unfortunately, it would never be a fair trial unless the media scrutinized it, but it should still be done. It's a pity the ACLU or NAACP isn't taking up the case. Singling out punishment to a race or culture is wrong.

To Mr. Landrith,
No need to be so rude. I assumed everyone was entitled to their own opinion on this subject, guess I was wrong. This is why I usually stay away from such forums because someone always has to be "right" and not allow others to express their own thoughts and ideas.

To Mr. Landrith,
No need to be so rude. I assumed everyone was entitled to their own opinion on this subject, guess I was wrong. This is why I usually stay away from such forums because someone always has to be "right" and not allow others to express their own thoughts and ideas.

This is the most blatantly racist policy I've ever heard of. It is racist to say that people of color are being "disrespectful" when they are rightly excited to have children graduating, and even more so when that child is graduating with honors. The only purpose of a ceremony is to give the students and parents a chance to be proud. Instead, the principal has SHAMED these people for life. The only "proper" end to this affair is for the state and school pricipal to be sued and his license to teach revoked. A "zero tolerance policy" should be used when awarding damages to the children and families wronged.

At the first disruption the ceremony should have been halted, and those creating the problem ejected from the audience. Repeat as necessary. Don't punish students for what others are doing, that's unfair.

'mom to four': galesburg high school has about 15% african-american enrollment. do you consider that small?

as the uncle of a '07 ghs graduate, i can attest to the actions of those cheering for the five students singled out. they were far noiser than any of the others cheering. it was also obvious during and after the ceremony that these were indeed relatives and/or friends despite the statements made by the students. the school gave notice to students and parents at the beginning of the year that these types of disruptions would not be tolerated. the administration deserves kudos for standing up for the vast majority of attendees that went to see a dignified ceremony. those that caused disruption by yelling and shouting vulgarities are the ones that should be taking the blame for this.

you can listen to the video of the ceremony at cnn.com. they don't seem to be cheering that loud. plus i find it hard to believe that no white students had parents or friends cheer for them. at my high school graduation we had students do backflips across the stage, kiss the principle, wave to the crowd, cry and some just took their diploma and walked off the stage. You know what - it was their day and they should be allowed to celebrate it how they wanted. I agree with the earlier poster who said this was just the policy of a few parents who had sticks up their butts. If you don't like the cheering, just wait, and ask everyone to be quiet. I'm sure the students could do without the 10 minutes of crap speeches from the principal, the valedictorian and whomever else the school deems worthy to speak.

To Tasha:

Provide evidence for your assertion that your freedom of speech has been hampered by my response.

Your right to express an opinion does not come with a right for said opinion to be exempt from scrutiny, criticism and correction.

In short, say what you want - and others can respond as they wish.

If you are going to promote falsehoods and distortions, expect to get called out for it. It is just that simple.

We all know what this is, so lets stop acting like it's not racism.

As a matter of fact, have any of you ever seen a graduating class of the U.S. Air Force Academy? Lot of celebrations and "unusual handshakes" I even saw one cadet carried off the stage on the back of another. Not many blacks in that group, let me tell you.

Now if there's no penalty for future officers of our nation's armed forces (including some future astronauts), don't you think they could give a black kid a symbolic diploma?

Let the school know how you feel. Here is the Principal's email address. tchiles@galesburg205.org

This is one of the cruelest acts of selfishness I have seen in many years. I do not posses the skills to articulate how repulsive this situation is.

I am a total stranger, I have never met these students. Yet this situation is so deplorable that I feel it necessary to write voice my disdain for you and those would continue to deny hard working students their rightfully earned diploma.

As teachers, administrators, and educators I would expect that for all of the hard work you have put in teaching your students, you would not flush it all away by engaging in such spiteful, selfish, and degrading activities as denying students their diplomas. Can you honestly look at yourselves in the mirror and tell yourself that what you are doing is right, and in the best interest of your students?

If you are not directly responsible for denying your students their hard won diplomas, please do not stand idly by and let these students bear the price for some misguided sense of righteousness. Please do something about it, you are the only people who can.

Try emailling Mr. Estes at jestes@galesgurg205.org. Let him know how much "decorum" his pettiness has brought to his school.

The most important about Education is to allow a student to love to study. Actions like the school one (unfair and illegal) just go against that. If the problem is bad loudspeakers, then get new ones because to cheer students who are graduating is the right of any one and that practice is so common through the U.S.A. that can't be considered un respectful.

I suggest the parents to prosecute the school for punishing illegally the kids, on discrimination or racist suspicions, and for psychological damages to the kids. Amount? just one million dollars at least because those kids can get a trauma that can stop them for being better students or professionals. I wish this case will be supervised by the U.S.A department of Education and some Judges. I have a Master's Degree in Education and seriously I wish the responsible to be fired. They are not using Education... just a kind of low level terrorism... terrorist threaten families kids to control those families.

In any case, the negligence of the School by punishing some one that did nothing bad is totally unfair and that is illegal and a crime against a kid. In fact for me it is as bad as showing pornography to students because those policies can deeply destroy the minds of those INOCENT students.

Justice, this country is based on that... and it is completely unfair to crucify an innocent kid for the mistakes that apparently others made.

Jose Cabrera

From reading your comments I am not sure if this is a race issue or not. However, as a person who has just recently attended a high school graduation, it is hard to know who cheered for a student or not. With at least 5,000 friends and family attending it is hard to enforce the "no cheering" policy, especially with all the cheering and traditions it is hard to "nab" everybody. Yes, I understand that you want the ceremony to be dignified, but it hard to contain the excitement for a loved who has graduated. My overall opinion of the matter is that Galesburg over-reached their authority and are being plain petty, like refusing to give over a toy to someone but you detest them and won't give it to them anyway. Galesburg, these kids have already graduated, give-up, it's going to happen again, just hand-over the diplomas.

To Jesus Maloney and everyone racist who reads this.

I do not want to get into any arguement about race or religion, however when I read an injustice I have to stand-up against it.

If anyone believes that a person other than "white" should be shipped out of America I say look at your own ancestory. I forgot who said this but "America is built on immigration." I am sure that your ancestors were not originally from "America," they propably migrated on a rat and diseased infested boats to better their situation and start a new life. Most natives migrated over through the Bering Straight. Migration is part of human life. If no body migrated, everybody in the UK would have killed themselves over lack and space and no one would be alive. However, the Nazis are one group who should not have migrated because it would have saved the lives of many people. Yes, not everyone came willingly, however that does not excuse your arguement. There is no longer a clear disticiontion between race and status the US is a salad bowl for pete's-sake. Either live with people and stop your rediculous hate or leave. If you can't stand the heat in kitchen, LEAVE!

To Jesus Maloney and everyone racist who reads this.

I do not want to get into any arguement about race or religion, however when I read an injustice I have to stand-up against it.

If anyone believes that a person other than "white" should be shipped out of America I say look at your own ancestory. I forgot who said this but "America is built on immigration." I am sure that your ancestors were not originally from "America," they propably migrated on a rat and diseased infested boats to better their situation and start a new life. Most natives migrated over through the Bering Straight. Migration is part of human life. If no body migrated, everybody in the UK would have killed themselves over lack and space and no one would be alive. However, the Nazis are one group who should not have migrated because it would have saved the lives of many people. Yes, not everyone came willingly, however that does not excuse your arguement. There is no longer a clear disticiontion between race and status the US is a salad bowl for pete's-sake. Either live with people and stop your rediculous hate or leave. If you can't stand the heat in kitchen, LEAVE!

To Jesus Maloney and everyone racist who reads this.

I do not want to get into any arguement about race or religion, however when I read an injustice I have to stand-up against it.

If anyone believes that a person other than "white" should be shipped out of America I say look at your own ancestory. I forgot who said this but "America is built on immigration." I am sure that your ancestors were not originally from "America," they propably migrated on a rat and diseased infested boats to better their situation and start a new life. Most natives migrated over through the Bering Straight. Migration is part of human life. If no body migrated, everybody in the UK would have killed themselves over lack and space and no one would be alive. However, the Nazis are one group who should not have migrated because it would have saved the lives of many people. Yes, not everyone came willingly, however that does not excuse your arguement. There is no longer a clear disticiontion between race and status the US is a salad bowl for pete's-sake. Either live with people and stop your rediculous hate or leave. If you can't stand the heat in kitchen, LEAVE!

It saddens me to know that in this day and age, people (morons) can not see past the color of anothers skin. How comfortable are you to make comments that are so blatantly vile and racist toward an entire community? You are the enemy, the terrorist that won't go away. We currently have young men and women of all shades engaging in combat to assure a pathetic disabler such as yourself has a voice not to mention a safe haven within these "united walls". How dare you believe you have the all rights and privilege to this country above any other.

These children were denied the privilege
of enjoying this milestone, only to have it tainted, forever tarnished by a bully of a system who targets the innocent.

Here's my question: Who determines what is considered a disruption? The ceremony is NOT for the school. It is for the students, and the families of the students. Thus, they should determine what should be considered a disruption.

To me, a graduation ceremony without cheers IS a disruption. Had I gone to my graduation ceremony and not gotten cheers, I would have wondered what in the world was wrong.

This is yet another instance of a group of moral police trying to determine what is "right" for the majority - and even worse, they've chosen to punish the students for the actions of others, even though the students have no control over those actions.

I hope that this "educational establishment" realizes that they have made themselves a laughing-stock and tarnished their own reputation by their ill-chosen actions.

Excellent point Joshua!

I graduate 19 years ago and although it was a small class, there were a lot of cheers. There were even teachers cheering, probably because they were happy to get rid of some of us, but a fun time was had by all.

We should have had many grumpy people considering the ceremony took place on the football field at noon in 90 degree weather, but everyone was very respectful and there were no disruptions.

It is amazing how narrow-minded our educators have become.

Thank You so much for writing this story. I've been a high school educator for eight years. Every year, I sit on a football field with the rest of the faculty and watch students cross the field to receive diplomas that many of us thought would never make it. Sounds of elation for these students don't just come from the parents, they come from the faculty as well. We are ALL just as vested in seeing those students succeed. I can't imagine ever telling a parent, family member, or friend of the students' to hold that joy and excitement in. In fact, there's one member of the town who has no children of her own, but shows up to every graduation ceremony to cheer for those students that have no one else to cheer for them. As faculty members, we make it a point to clap for EVERY student to make sure they know SOMEONE is proud of them for their achievement. How DARE this high school deny diplomas to these students. Shame on the administration and faculty for even devising this plan in the first place and double shame for having the audacity to carry it out. Educators are under enough pressure from society as it is without doing something so galatically stupid as this. Here is Georgia, we call this "That Special Kind of Stupid".

I hope the school staff are soon denied something they have worked hard for and really want because of something they had no control over.

Lets start confiscating automobiles of people doing the speed limit because other people are speeding. Makes as much sense.

As a mother of two, I have attended my share of graduations and honors programs. I can tell you without hesitation that they are BORING BORING BORING! The speeches are often long-winded and forgettable. To make matters worse, there is usually more than one adult and one student speaker. Many commencement ceremonies also include special awards and honors. I will be attending my niece's graduation next week. Since I attended my nephew's ceremony last year I feel obligated to attend his sister's. I'm not looking forward to the occasion. She is graduating from the largest public high school in the region. The student's name will be called and the audience will be told their future plans (college, military, work). Her mother (my sister) thinks it's great they give out all this information. I think it adds unnecessary length to an already tedious ceremony. The point is I can understand how some people in the audience (and the graduates themselves) can get a little restless. I do not mean to diminish any student's achievement on graduating from high school but I would rather attend almost any other kind of ceremony (short of a funeral or public hanging) than go to a large public high school commencement. So, as to the situation in Illinois -- I feel for the principal and faculty at the school who have to answer to parents who are upset over rude behavior at their child's graduation. I also feel for the students denied their diploma over something someone else did. The only solution I can offer is to make the ceremony as short as possible. Eliminate all but two speeches (valevictorian and guest speaker). Only call out the names of the graduates. Save the rest for an honors assembly. Don't try and call out the name of the next graduate until eveyone in the audience can hear it. Discourage families from bringing young children. Limit the number of tickets if necessary. Keep the exercise as dignified as possible. If the audience knows their behavior will only draw out the proceedings maybe they will keep their 'enthusiasm' in check.

As a mother of two, I have attended my share of graduations and honors programs. I can tell you without hesitation that they are BORING BORING BORING! The speeches are often long-winded and forgettable. To make matters worse, there is usually more than one adult and one student speaker. Many commencement ceremonies also include special awards and honors. I will be attending my niece's graduation next week. Since I attended my nephew's ceremony last year I feel obligated to attend his sister's. I'm not looking forward to the occasion. She is graduating from the largest public high school in the region. The student's name will be called and the audience will be told their future plans (college, military, work). Her mother (my sister) thinks it's great they give out all this information. I think it adds unnecessary length to an already tedious ceremony. The point is I can understand how some people in the audience (and the graduates themselves) can get a little restless. I do not mean to diminish any student's achievement on graduating from high school but I would rather attend almost any other kind of ceremony (short of a funeral or public hanging) than go to a large public high school commencement. So, as to the situation in Illinois -- I feel for the principal and faculty at the school who have to answer to parents who are upset over rude behavior at their child's graduation. I also feel for the students denied their diploma over something someone else did. The only solution I can offer is to make the ceremony as short as possible. Eliminate all but two speeches (valevictorian and guest speaker). Only call out the names of the graduates. Save the rest for an honors assembly. Don't try and call out the name of the next graduate until eveyone in the audience can hear it. Discourage families from bringing young children. Limit the number of tickets if necessary. Keep the exercise as dignified as possible. If the audience knows their behavior will only draw out the proceedings maybe they will keep their 'enthusiasm' in check.

As a mother of two, I have attended my share of graduations and honors programs. I can tell you without hesitation that they are BORING BORING BORING! The speeches are often long-winded and forgettable. To make matters worse, there is usually more than one adult and one student speaker. Many commencement ceremonies also include special awards and honors. I will be attending my niece's graduation next week. Since I attended my nephew's ceremony last year I feel obligated to attend his sister's. I'm not looking forward to the occasion. She is graduating from the largest public high school in the region. The student's name will be called and the audience will be told their future plans (college, military, work). Her mother (my sister) thinks it's great they give out all this information. I think it adds unnecessary length to an already tedious ceremony. The point is I can understand how some people in the audience (and the graduates themselves) can get a little restless. I do not mean to diminish any student's achievement on graduating from high school but I would rather attend almost any other kind of ceremony (short of a funeral or public hanging) than go to a large public high school commencement. So, as to the situation in Illinois -- I feel for the principal and faculty at the school who have to answer to parents who are upset over rude behavior at their child's graduation. I also feel for the students denied their diploma over something someone else did. The only solution I can offer is to make the ceremony as short as possible. Eliminate all but two speeches (valevictorian and guest speaker). Only call out the names of the graduates. Save the rest for an honors assembly. Don't try and call out the name of the next graduate until eveyone in the audience can hear it. Discourage families from bringing young children. Limit the number of tickets if necessary. Keep the exercise as dignified as possible. If the audience knows their behavior will only draw out the proceedings maybe they will keep their 'enthusiasm' in check.

Who says graduation ceremonies have to have stodgy boring decorum? Why shouldn't people be able to cheer for a loved one's accomplishments?

I have a solution for the School:

Invest in a better Public Address system.

Pardon me for pointing this out, but is it at West Point that we wee the graduating class yelling and tossing their hats in the air, guess those people, many of whom become our top leaders, just lack any manners, think Eisenhower, Pershing, etc. For heaven sakes, just say no more diplomas will be issued until some decorum is is restored, that should do the trick. At least one girl DID graduate with honors, doesn't that mean that she did what she was supposed to? As for the racist issues, many colleges and universities have commencements where the people cheer, ( Some of them white, there's a shock ) we should be able to after our children have worked hard for their diplomas and degrees, and we, as parents, and supporting friends and relatives, have helped them arrive at that point. Shouldn't we be proud of our students, especially minority ones, who have made sure that they actually did fullfill the requirements to get a diploma.

All the Presidents of te U.S.A were cheered up by their voters when they got the President "title" I believe the authorities of that school will say: keep the title from the elected president because too many people was cheering up!!

As you see, the School action is RIDICULOUS

Without hesitation, after reading this story on another site, I Googled "galesburg high school illinois".
All the information is right there.
"Click"...I just hit "send"....a very nasty email to what must be the dumbest high school principal in the U.S.

Instead of only voicing comments here where it's only read by The Washington Post readers, also send it to where it really counts. Send it to the idiot himself at tchiles@galesburg205.org. It only takes a couple of minutes.

I am a grandmother of several childern and I intend to cheer at all the graduations. every school our extended family attends sees that as a great encouragement for the students. This school certainly has some staff that if I was there I would see get removed. We have family in Nevada, california, Colorado. Wisconsin, New Hamshire, Texas, Oregon, washington. All graduations had cheers and support from the families. It is not disrespectful they deserve a cheer for geaduating and going on into life with a diploma.

The school has seen the light. The students were given their diplomas yesterday afternoon.

Apparently, the thought of actually having to defend "guilt by association" and "children paying for the sins of their parents" in an open court, rather than cowering like arrogant nobles behind the doors of their local educrat fiefdom was too much.

The school district would have lost and likely received a very nasty rebuke from even the most rookie of judges.

This one is simple. Don't make kids responsible for the behaviour of other individuals. That concept is not part of our legal system - nor should it be part of our educational system.

This reminds me of when I graduated, and the governor spoke so long at the ceremony that the honors recipients, including myself, did not get their honor cords. I'm still waiting for mine. It's been nearly a decade now. I recall everyone cheering raucously. I felt envious then, since my family made not one sound.

I agree with many here that the children should not have been punished, and the public service is shameful and unwarranted.

Jubilance at such a momentous occasion can be likened to sailors on a ship being told a war is over and they can finally go home to their families and continue on with their lives, but that they can only clap with solemn dignity. Only it isn't, because it would be like telling them they have to stay at sea for another decade because their families were "disruptive".

Sure, it sends a message. Clearly the wrong one, in my opinion.

This reminds me of when I graduated, and the governor spoke for so long at the ceremony that the honors recipients, including myself, did not get their honor cords. I'm still waiting for mine. It's been nearly a decade now. I recall everyone cheering raucously. I felt envious then, since my family made very little sound.

I agree with many here that the children should not have been punished. This is archaic thinking. It deserves the ridicule.

Jubilance at such a momentous occasion can be likened to sailors on a ship being told a war is over and they can finally go home to their families and continue on with their lives, but that they can only clap with solemn dignity. Only it isn't, because it would be like telling them they have to stay upon the stormy sea for another decade because their families were "disruptive".

Sure, it sends a message. Clearly the wrong one, in my opinion.