Diploma Denied to Student Who Blew Kiss to Family,

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Sheromom

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http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,526642,00.html

This is a little overboard, for sure. I'll never forget when my third child graduated. She was so happy and she was able to walk with a young man she had been with all through the years in school. They looked at each other, hugged in front of everyone, and, arms around each other and joy radiating from their faces, accepted their diplomas and waved at everyone. It makes me so mad to think that at another place, they might not have even received their diplomas.
 
Maybe all these Gestapo-like school districts should let the parents and students decide since it is their taxes who pay their salaries. The school system has wayyyyy too much control over our kids.
 
:mad:

taking a MOMENT LIKE THIS away from this young man for what? A moment that could never be recreated nor re-experienced!!

Blowing a kiss to his mama and he can't get his dimploma? OMG these people are freaks. This man goes through years of education and it's HIS TIME TO SHINE. I'd do more than sue... the person that refused to give her son a diploma and told him to sit down should be fired and NEVER hired anywhere again.

Just so uncalled for. How horrible for her son :(
 
txsvicki said:
Maybe all these Gestapo-like school districts should let the parents and students decide since it is their taxes who pay their salaries. The school system has wayyyyy too much control over our kids.
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Gestapo-like -- totally agree!! Some school admins are such azzes that don't use any common sense. They teach students to 'follow the rules' rather than creativity and critical thinking skills.
 
I have to agree with the school district--to a reasonable point.

The mother and student signed a behavior agreement, but apparently, like many parents, this mom is teaching her child that rules don't apply to him. He can get up there and act up and she doubtless thinks it's cute. Ugh. My parents strongly encouraged me to follow the rules, and I learned that behavior has consequences, good and bad. Parents don't seem to do that much anymore.

However, they should have just given him his diploma and gotten him off the stage.
 
Well, this is just ridiculous. Educators should have some sense of proportion, and thankfully, they usually do. Choose the punishment to fit the crime.
 
Gracenote said:
I have to agree with the school district--to a reasonable point.

The mother and student signed a behavior agreement, but apparently, like many parents, this mom is teaching her child that rules don't apply to him. He can get up there and act up and she doubtless thinks it's cute. Ugh. My parents strongly encouraged me to follow the rules, and I learned that behavior has consequences, good and bad. Parents don't seem to do that much anymore.

However, they should have just given him his diploma and gotten him off the stage.
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I agree. I mean it's crappy that you can't blow a kiss to your mom, but you signed the agreement. If there was an issue, you should have raised it then.
 
OMG I so totally disagree!!!! My daughter just graduated and I firmly believe these kids earned their day!! He wasn't doing anything obnoxious or over the top. He is a teenager, let him be one for a bit before he has to join the real world.
 
My parents sent me to a 'Christian' school for grades 10-12.
I was denied a diploma because my sideburns were too long. I had them cut for the graduation but showed up and was told, no they're still too long and not allowed to participate. This was in the 1970's.
Yes I finally got it, after some threatened intervention by an attorney.
I don't feel the motivation in this story was religious, just that the guy in charge is a control freak.
I hope his parents sue the hell out of the school district.
 
This is one of those times I have to disagree with this Graduation "punishment". We are not talking about rude disruption, blaring fog horns, or obnoxious "hand signs" here. This was the time of being happy, proud, being thankful to ffor friends/family, and this young man showed that. The principal was out of line big time. Sorry, I am all about respect and rules. My own went to private schools (yeah, me too) and there were rules requested of both family and friends. However, no Diploma was held hostage toward any Graduate for perceived bad manners. I also think this is all about the joy that someone is feeling at that time of achievement. This is not a big deal, fer crying out loud!

I think the principal was wearing their clothes a bit tight and needs to lighten up. You can have control of your students (or, ex students), but they also deserve the happiness that they have worked for. Celebrate with them. With a smile. After all, that is one less class you will have to deal with next year. :)
 
You know I got to thinking about this...

My eldest son just graduated HS 10 days ago. Now, if he and I had to sit down and sign a behavoir agreement, I would have done so with him of course.

Here is the difference between me and this Mother.

I would have reminded him on the way to the graduation "dont' you dare cut up"

I would take him to task for pulling something that got him in trouble and not receiving his diploma.

I wouldn't have gone to the media. But I sure would have gone to town on him until I felt I had impressed upon him how aggravated I was....LOL

I don't know I just don't see this as a tragedy of epic proportions. I see it as a learning lesson for this young man. Sign a contract, honor it.

A personal aside but it's my thoughts on how I would have handled it.

ETA: it would also be a story I would tell for years to come, much to his chagrin :wink: Kind of like the pink mayonaisse story!
 
wow, I think this is ridiculous!!!! After going to school for 13 years who cares if you blow your mother a kiss. I wonder what will happen when I do my traditonal, at the top of my lungs "wooohooooo" with my kids name. I agree kids should follow the rules, but it's the rules I think are completely way off base. What do they plan to send him his diploma? They look like complete idiots IMO. Things have gone too far....kids have so much stress these days compared to 30 years ago. JMO ;)
 
The judgement used in this situation is ridiculous. Graduation is a time to spread your wings and stand up and be proud.
I think an investigation should be done to find out how many kids were forbidden to attend the ceremony because of some ridiculous rule dreamed up by robots without emotions and feelings.


I love graduations. In 08 when our Kaelie graduated a young lady walked with her 2 or 3 year old son by her side. i didn't even know her, but I was proud of her.
 
Geez ...........you might think the kid whipped it out and urinated on the crowd:rolleyes:

It was blowing a kiss for goodness sake! Not mooning, not flipping anyone the bird, not doing cartwheels on the way up there.

There was nothing inappropriate about his conduct IMO.

and I am 100% about honoring agreements and personal responsibility!
 
Guess Im in the minority in feeling that the boy & his Mom are in the wrong!
THEY signed an agreement.HE violated that agreement & he has Mom's blessing........obviously hes been raised to think rules dont apply to him.
There was alot more than just blowing a kiss..........he was bowing & pointing at friends and in his Mothers own words"showboating" .Why is it ok for him to do it but not the other kids?Why bother having an agreement?Why not let everybody do whatever they want at Graduation...........see where Im going with this? The agreement was there for a reason.........the graduation should run smoothly & on time so everybody gets a chance to get their diploma........he KNOWINGLY and obviously with PRIOR INTENT disrupted the graduation.Instead of defending him the Mother needs to discipline him & make him apologise-period.
 
This is ridiculous! Since when are these kids not allowed to have fun and celebrate this very important day of their lives?? They look forward to that day for so long, and they're made to just sit, got get their disploma, and sit back down.

My baby brother and sister both just graduated high school the other week. They go to different high schools and at my sister's graduation, we were told that we could not cheer or even applaud when our graduate walked across the stage to receive their diploma. We weren't allowed to make any noise at all. It was so awkward watching those kids walk across the stage like robots in complete silence. The whole ceremony was so stiff and uptight.

My brother graduated from the same high school as I did, and their graduation was so much more relaxed and fun. Some of the kids did silly jumps and kicks when they got their diploma, some yelled funny things, and at the end of the ceremony, a big silly string fight broke out, and two of the kids ran up and down the teacher aisle spraying all the teachers and staff with silly string. Everyone thought it was hilarious. I really think that schools need to be more relaxed with things like that. These are teens that are experiencing one of the most exciting days of their lives and they worked hard to get there. Let them celebrate it!
 
Just an aside:

There were over 200 graduates in my son's graduation. We were asked to hold our applause because they wanted each child's name to be heard clearly and of course if the supporters of some children aren't told to simmer down they can get out of hand and disrupt the process for the rest of the children.

The young man that was immediately prior to my son's procession across the stage was well known in the school from his football playing (we are in TX ~ LOL all football players are important to schools!) anyway I was relieved that there was polite applause a few whoohooo's then I heard my son's name clearly.

In this instance, particular to this school, many of the children had deployed parents. There was live streaming of the graduation from this school to Iraq and Afghanistan and we could see them on large screens. (the deployed parents were projected on large screens for the kids and audience).

So yes I understand the need for decorum. After the graduation~~~ cut as loose as you want...JMHO.
 
January. said:
This is ridiculous! Since when are these kids not allowed to have fun and celebrate this very important day of their lives?? They look forward to that day for so long, and they're made to just sit, got get their disploma, and sit back down.

My baby brother and sister both just graduated high school the other week. They go to different high schools and at my sister's graduation, we were told that we could not cheer or even applaud when our graduate walked across the stage to receive their diploma. We weren't allowed to make any noise at all. It was so awkward watching those kids walk across the stage like robots in complete silence. The whole ceremony was so stiff and uptight.

My brother graduated from the same high school as I did, and their graduation was so much more relaxed and fun. Some of the kids did silly jumps and kicks when they got their diploma, some yelled funny things, and at the end of the ceremony, a big silly string fight broke out, and two of the kids ran up and down the teacher aisle spraying all the teachers and staff with silly string. Everyone thought it was hilarious. I really think that schools need to be more relaxed with things like that. These are teens that are experiencing one of the most exciting days of their lives and they worked hard to get there. Let them celebrate it!
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I really prefer the more formal type of ceremony. I think weddings, church services, graduations, and events of that kind should be done orderly and respectfully. There are times for the types activities you describe in the second graduation, but I think it should be at a party. The graduation ceremony can be a time to reflect and look forward and each graqduate should be able to hear his/her name called, which isn't the case in some graduations I have been to lately. It sometimes takes one student getting disruptive to start many more doing things that ruin the ceremony for many.
 
VespaElf said:
Guess Im in the minority in feeling that the boy & his Mom are in the wrong!
THEY signed an agreement.HE violated that agreement & he has Mom's blessing........obviously hes been raised to think rules dont apply to him.
There was alot more than just blowing a kiss..........he was bowing & pointing at friends and in his Mothers own words"showboating" .Why is it ok for him to do it but not the other kids?Why bother having an agreement?Why not let everybody do whatever they want at Graduation...........see where Im going with this? The agreement was there for a reason.........the graduation should run smoothly & on time so everybody gets a chance to get their diploma........he KNOWINGLY and obviously with PRIOR INTENT disrupted the graduation.Instead of defending him the Mother needs to discipline him & make him apologise-period.
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Vespa, I thought the article said that the mom stated that her son was NOT showboating, but I see where she says showboating is not misbehavior. While some types of showboating would clearly be misbehavior, I'm going to side with the mom on this one. The agreement was vague, the kid knew he couldn't turn a cartwheel or anything, but I don't think the agreement mentioned anything about blowing a kiss to your momma or waving to your friends----some of whom he may never see again after graduation. Like it or nor, graduations are always going to be celebratory. There isn't anything somber about the fact that a kid has worked hard throughout 12 years of school and has now reached his goal!

From the article: While in his seat or waiting in line for his diploma, Justin Denney never touched a beach ball. After his name was called, he took a bow, blew a kiss to and pointed to his family and he pulled out a necklace made for him after he won a state track final, but he didn't get his diploma, leaving a whole family in disbelief. I think this is why my opinion differs from yours. It seems obvious to me that Justin did NOT participate in behavior that he knew was clearly disruptive. I don't think he ever even considered that the kiss and waves were disruptive.
 
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