7 Charged With Cheering At Graduation

Spectators Arrested, Accused Of Disorderly Conduct At High School Ceremony In Columbia, S.C.

(AP)  When Rock Hill school officials tell commencement crowds to hold their applause until the end, they mean it - police arrested seven people after they were accused of loud cheering during the ceremonies.

Six people at Fort Mill High School's graduation were charged Saturday and a seventh at the graduation for York Comprehensive High School was charged Friday with disorderly conduct, authorities said. Police said the seven yelled after students' names were called.

"I just thought they were going to escort me out," Jonathan Orr told The Herald of Rock Hill, about 70 miles north of Columbia. "I had no idea they were going to put handcuffs on me and take me to jail."

Orr, 21, spent two hours in jail after he was arrested when he yelled for his cousin at York's commencement at the Winthrop University Coliseum.

Rock Hill police began patrolling commencements several years ago at the request of school districts who complained of increasing disruption. Those attending commencements are told they can be prosecuted for bad behavior and letters are sent home with students, said Rock Hill police spokesman Lt. Jerry Waldrop.

All the cases, except for one that includes a resisting arrest charge, will be handled in city court and are punishable by a maximum of 30 days in jail and a $1,000 fine.

Orr said he thinks people should be allowed to cheer.

"For some people, it might be the only member of their family to graduate high school, and it was like a funeral in there," Orr said.

William Massey, 19, was arrested but said he plans to fight the charge. He said he simply "clapped and gave a little whoop" when his fiancee's name was called. Massey said there were warnings before the ceremony but none that said he could be arrested.

He said not everyone who cheered was arrested.

"There's a lot more people that did it than six or seven," said Massey, who graduated from Fort Mill last year.

Fort Mill Principal Dee Christopher says school officials don't ask that offenders be arrested but that he plans to keep a police presence at future graduation ceremonies.

"We think it's important for every graduate's name to be heard and for every person in the arena to be able to see that student cross the stage. ... That's why we have disruptive guests removed," he said.

Last year in Galesburg, Ill., five students were denied diplomas from the city's lone public high school after enthusiastic friends or family members cheered for them during commencement. Students could get their diplomas after completing eight hours of public service for the school district.

[pepjrp]

The below comments are another example of the Hate speech spewed from the mouth of this racist, bigoted hater known as Concorde5.

This is what happens when rednecks get too much power. These people are not too bright, maybe it''''s something about the south or inbreeding, or the heat? These school administrators are probably Bush supporters, nuff said.

[pepjrp]

Michelle''s comments were right on.

[pepjrp]

People do deserve to hear their family member''s names. Maybe arresting them is going overboard, but they should be removed and it would then be known that this will happen to you the next time. To the loons who aquated this to Nazi''s, you are insulting the 1000''s upon 1000''s of troops who fought real Nazi''s so you could spout your far-left propaganda hate speech. I wish they would have taken some of the yeller''s at my son''s graduation. It was so rude. The rest of us would have sang, "na-na-na, hey hey hey, good-bye" when they took you out.

[michellem99-2009]

YE ARE A GUEST OF THE GRADUATE-TO-BE. THEREFORE BE A PROPER GUEST. Don''t carry on like ye are the centre of attn. This is their night. Honour them. Ye want to cheer don''t as it is RUDE..

[giovan7-2009]

Me thinks this incident is indicative of a far greater schism than just behaviour at assemblies. All that said, escorting the transgressors out would have sufficed, as in a movie theatre. Arresting them? Ludicrous! How sad!

[sroal2002]

Flange

try that again AFTER you put the vodka bottle down..

[michellem99-2009]

We rose as seniors and we together moved our tassles to the right and we were presened to the people at that minute The Graduation Class of 74. They clapped as one body for us once. It was quiet when each name was called and went back to our seats. We were dismissed as a class to meet who ever. I had no idea my Dad and Aunts were there. My foster parents were. The first to greet me Dad.
So it was/is rude to ruin it and the right thing would be to say leave the room to the ones beinging attn to themselves,

[ccmcg11]

(sorry that was on there 9 times)

continued...

We''re an intelligent and well behaved community and we expect our guests to behave similarly.The spotlight should be on the graduates for their accomplishments, and by allowing the audience to cheer; some of that attention is then directed to the noisemakers rather than the students themselves.Nearly 5000 people attended this graduation, and all but 7 people managed to behave themselves.Its embarrassing that the media is making such a big deal out of 7 people.They knew the rules, they knew the consequences, and should not be allowed to slander such an upstanding school and community for enforcing these rules.

[ccmcg11]

I graduated from this school in 2006, and we have had this policy in place for years.I''m pretty sure it started back in 2002.The seniors that year voted not to allow audience members to cheer so that the ceremony could be finished in a timely manner seeing as our graduating classes are usually around 600 students.Yes, I understand that this is a proud day for many families.But celebration is what the rest of the day is for.Graduation is a dignified and solemn event and should be approached with respect, not rowdy disturbances because your child finally passed English 4.
The community is well aware of the consequences involved with this type of behavior as they are told multiple times prior to the event.Weeks before graduation, all the graduating seniors of Fort Mill are asked to sign an agreement that they understand that these types of disturbances are not allowed at the ceremony.If the students do not sign this agreement, they do not receive their tickets to graduation.Each ticket, might I add%2

[ccmcg11]

I graduated from this school in 2006, and we have had this policy in place for years.I''m pretty sure it started back in 2002.The seniors that year voted not to allow audience members to cheer so that the ceremony could be finished in a timely manner seeing as our graduating classes are usually around 600 students.Yes, I understand that this is a proud day for many families.But celebration is what the rest of the day is for.Graduation is a dignified and solemn event and should be approached with respect, not rowdy disturbances because your child finally passed English 4.
The community is well aware of the consequences involved with this type of behavior as they are told multiple times prior to the event.Weeks before graduation, all the graduating seniors of Fort Mill are asked to sign an agreement that they understand that these types of disturbances are not allowed at the ceremony.If the students do not sign this agreement, they do not receive their tickets to graduation.Each ticket, might I add, has this policy printed on them as well.Also, every year the community paper prints a copy of the expected behavior the week before graduation.Upon entering the coliseum, the guests are again reminded and warned of these consequences.So, these 7 people were well aware of what their actions would get them.
We''re an intellige