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June 6, 2012 11:23 AM

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Shannon Cooper said S.C. police arrested her for cheering during her daughter's graduation

By: Crimesider Staff
Topics: Daily Blotter

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(CBS/WPDE-TV) FLORENCE, S.C. - South Carolina police arrested Shannon Cooper on Saturday for cheering and screaming when her daughter received her diploma from South Florence High School, ABC affiliate WPDE-TV reports.

Cooper said she was cheering as her daughter Iesha, 18, walked across the stage to get her diploma when just minutes later, police walked her across the Florence Civic Center where the graduation ceremony was held, in front of everyone.

"I can't argue with the police, but I'm like are you serious? I didn't do any more than the others did." Cooper told the station. "I feel like no one should have went to jail."

Cooper was charged with disorderly conduct.

Police said it was announced before the ceremony that anyone who cheered or screamed would be escorted out of the building. Although they wouldn't discuss individual cases, they said people were arrested if they got disorderly.

"How was I so disorderly, you know, any different from just a happy parent?" Cooper said. "I didn't resist arrest, nothing."

Iesha said she didn't know what was going on until friends told her that her mother was being arrested.

"I was like, that isn't right because other people was cheering and they didn't lock them up," said Iesha.

Cooper said she waited in a police van parked outside the civic center for about 45 minutes until officers took her to the Florence County Detention Center. She was booked there for several hours until posting a $225 bond.

Cooper said what should have been one of the happiest days in her life was actually one of the worst.

"Yesterday can't be replaced," said Iesha. "My mama went to jail on my graduation day."

WPDE-TV reports that mother and daughter did celebrate the graduation Sunday afternoon with a family barbeque and cake.

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by baw0724 June 7, 2012 11:57 AM EDT

There is so much more to this story, she was not arrested for cheering, she was arrested for her actions as she was being escorted out. We were sent letters and even a phone from the school about what the policy would be at graduation. And as for her just cheering, I guess when you get up and stand on seat,yell and scream all the way down the stairs is ok... What if all of the 9,000 people that were there did this? Oh and by the way white people were being escorted out too.....She was an idiot and she got what she deserved...

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by ScaredofYouPsychos June 7, 2012 3:57 PM EDT: @baw0274, What if your unpopular opinion of Cooper were to land you in the pokey? How would you feel about violating people's rights then? What if your tax rate went up because your opinion is base-minded? Would you just shrug and say, 'I guess I got what I deserve'?

Assuming you have some knowledge no one else seems to have about how this proud mom acted - Cooper's behavior is not the issue. If Cooper hadn't been escorted out, her behavior while being arrested would be a mute point. Oppressing underrepresented people is the issue. This reeks of social injustice, and punishing people for achieving a modicum of upward mobility. I went to a college where the majority of people were the first in their families to make it to college, much less graduate - graduation day was a very loud and festive blast. Oppressing that expression would have been immoral and against everything the US stands for. That's why we have a Constitution that says the government (which includes public schools funded by the government) can't punish us from expressing ourselves or associating with people that express themselves in an unpopular way, unpopular to some anyway.

And by the way, having your time arrested and being physically moved by an officer, is an arrest - so anyone escorted out and detained was arrested. And anyone who did not receive their diploma is being censored for content related speech, meaning, this falls under their First Amendment rights. The school is public and thus receives taxpayer money for operations. As such, it represent the government, and is not allowed to sanction people for speech or association they don't like. Several other students were not given their diplomas and are being ordered to do community service. Some are being sanctioned because they decorated caps that they owned (were forced to pay for). Some are being sanctioned in response to the actions of others, i.e., family members. This is not only unreasonable, it's illegal and unConstitutional. I suggested all parties involved contact the ACLU of South Carolina and pressure the school to offer up those hard-earned diplomas. And publicly apologize. And sack the personnel involved.

File a complaint: http://www.aclusouthcarolina.org/legal/filecomplaint.html

And @gjc1n1, there is no such thing as the "will of the people" outside the electorate and the Constitution. A bunch of hoity administrative ninnies is not the will of the people. So cram it.


by gjc1n1 June 7, 2012 7:03 AM EDT: Should she have been arrested? Absolutely not. But why do some people feel that it is OK to defy the will of the people, in this instance the entire graduating class, to withhold applause to the end of the ceremony? It is another prime example of the me, me, me attitude that is sadly prevalent in the USA.; Reply to this comment


by Chelle003 June 6, 2012 9:44 PM EDT: I wish this had happened at my graduation. Some people believe they are exempt from rules that are there for everyone's benefit. Then, they cannot understand why they are in trouble.; Reply to this comment


by MIO42 June 6, 2012 4:21 PM EDT: My grandson took his first steps today
I'll hire a marching band , free drinks for the city , am inviting the President for a big bash and having the little guy s
Head chiseled into Mt Rushmore.
This isn't too over the Top is it ?
I didn't think so either; Reply to this comment


by webdepot June 6, 2012 3:45 PM EDT: S.C., Ariz., and Va.. leaders in being the police state.. Welcome to the 21st century of nuttiness.; Reply to this comment

by Molly-Pchr June 6, 2012 2:55 PM EDT

You want to escort people out, escort people out, but arresting people? Good God.

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by displeased2 June 6, 2012 3:16 PM EDT: Well, the police said people would be arrested while being escorted out if they become disorderly. Perhaps that's what this woman did.


by bobnjersey June 6, 2012 2:51 PM EDT: ["Yesterday can't be replaced," said Iesha. "My mama went to jail on my graduation day."]
----------------------------------------------------
and that's your lesson of the day in complete and unchallenged compliance in our new police state. it's surprising they didn't taser you first.; Reply to this comment


by myIife2live June 6, 2012 2:48 PM EDT: Individual cheers should be held until the end. It isn't a ball game folks, that can continue as cheering is done. It is a formal graduation, and every family wants to hear their child's name called. If every family cheered and held up the ceremony for only two minutes and there were only 30 graduates, it could run the ceremony an hour late getting done. What if they cheered for 5 minutes and there were 200 graduates? Understand now?; Reply to this comment

by robert1129 June 6, 2012 2:33 PM EDT

There has to be some common sense and these cops scewed up badly. She should sue the cops individually and the school district.

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by SocialWrkrKP June 6, 2012 3:55 PM EDT: And thats the problem with the world today, everyone is suing everyone else. Its insane.

by gottasay June 6, 2012 2:32 PM EDT

No, it's her English teachers that should be in jail for letting her graduate..."I was like, that isn't right because other people was cheering and they didn't lock them up," said Iesha.

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by gottasay June 6, 2012 7:31 PM EDT: Really? Perhaps they should when being interviewed at their graduation ceremony? Thanks for your insightful comments.

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