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<p>Good practice for college…we were sent a photo of the son of one of our friends as he was getting his college diploma last month. It’s plain to see from where the gown gaps at the bottom that he was wearing shorts under those robes. Shoewear included dark tennis shoes and low cut white socks. </p>
<p>Hey, at least he wore something under that robe!</p>
<p>I agree that airhorns should be banned–loud cowbells also.</p>
<p>They should be celebrating the fact that some kids are graduating:</p>
<p>[Student</a> dropout rate rises Numbers in Maine are up because of new uniform reporting system now in use](<a href=“http://morningsentinel.mainetoday.com/news/local/4918673.html]Student”>http://morningsentinel.mainetoday.com/news/local/4918673.html)</p>
<p>Police should be there to escort graduation speakers that go on too long off the stage. Any school official who mispronounces a graduate’s name should be sent off the stage.</p>
<p>Leave the kids alone. The world is tough enough. Congratulations, grads!</p>
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<p>That’s the way Son’s graduation was. There were lots of rules, but a bit of rowdiness came out and it was tolerated. Only one of the 563 kids did a dance on the way to get his diploma…it was appreciated by the crowd but fortunately, not everyone did one and there was no visible reaction from the administration. The kids walked in 4 abreast and they had to walk past a teacher right as they entered who gave them one last look-over (the kid who tried to wear his colorful tie on the outside of his robe was made to put it inside his robe…but he certainly wasn’t escorted out or denied his diploma.)</p>
<p>I think sorghum’s post bears repeating.</p>
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<p>It’s people like this that make me wish I lived in another country. .__.</p>
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<p>Actually, the location for our middle school promotion and high school graduation ceremonies IS the football field/bleachers. The ones from MS usually get roasted since their ceremony is at 10 am and sometimes it’s quite sunny in late June (this year, I dunno, we’ll have to see what happens Friday.) The HS graduates and spectators get some relief as their ceremony is at 6 pm. I think they do it this way to save money, since the set up on the field only has to be done once, except some quick alterations between ceremonies for school colors and such.</p>
<p>When the beach balls appeared at our hs graduation this year while kids were receiving their diplomas, the Principal merely stopped calling out names and stood silently at the podium. He didn’t have to say a word, everyone knew why the ceremony had come to a halt. The Assist principals came into where the graduates were and after a minute someone handed them the beach ball. This happened twice. That was all it took. </p>
<p>Police? For a beach ball? Are they serious? Wow…</p>
<p>The Iranian government is sending over a team of investigators to monitor our high school graduations for allegations of human rights violations.</p>
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<p>That is what makes me hope there is more to the story. Your school handled things in a normal, ratiional way. </p>
<p>Police? Were there prior graduations that got so out of control that the police had to be called?</p>
<p>We had a similar case near here where a girl who helped to break up a fight between two other girls was not allowed to graduate because the administration stuck by the wording of the rules. No wonder some HS kids lack respect for authorities.</p>
<p>[Graduation</a> Denied | NBC Bay Area](<a href=“Local – NBC Bay Area”>Graduation Denied – NBC Bay Area)</p>
<p>This seems like a case of ridiculous over-reaction by the Superintendent. </p>
<p>And to have a policeman patrolling the aisles? Please. The kid who was ejected hadn’t even done anything as mild as touch the beach balls. When he protested his innocence, the policeman removed him for THAT. Apparently the kid then lost his temper and swore at the martinet, who then threatened to arrest him or something. So the kid took off his robe and threw it at him. I can’t blame him. Give some people a little authority and it goes to their head.</p>
<p>Sometimes it helps to have a few cops at graduation ceremonies: </p>
<p>[2</a> arrested at Seattle middle-school graduation melee | Seattle Times Newspaper](<a href=“http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2009349414_graduation18m.html]2”>http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2009349414_graduation18m.html)</p>
<p>:eek: But this brawl did not invoved any beach balls or kisses.</p>
<p>I’ll bet that the superintendent’s reaction to such mild celebration, and the police escorting students out, caused a lot more distraction to the ceremony than some happy student bowing and blowing his mother a kiss. Sheesh. Overreaching to the max.</p>
<p>The HS in question has been rocked by scandals in the last decade having to do with alleged sexual relationships between students and teachers and the like. </p>
<p>One of the towns in the district was the location of a store that attained nationwide infamy when the owner posted a sign speculating on the odds of Obama being assassinated.</p>
<p>This is all they need to cement their local reputation. :rolleyes: What I find particularly strange is having their graduation in the Civic Center in Portland. It’s like 20 miles away.</p>
<p>The administration of this school has managed to undermine its own authority, diminish its credibility, and cause an increase in anger and cynicism by the students. It is a laughingstock.</p>
<p>Good job, guys.</p>
<p>A blatant abuse of authority by the Supernatant compounded by a blatant abuse of power by the police. </p>
<p>Thus, respect for both is correctly diminished.</p>
<p>Just schools doin’ what schools do.</p>
<p>When my brother graduated 5 years ago, there was a fight afterward. I’m not sure exactly what happened, but a large crowd of police came in with riot gear, and there were a few helicopters overhead.</p>
<p>Obviously police are necessary - having 1000+ people in an area without police supervision is a recipe for disaster - but the level of intervention is clearly unnecessary.</p>
<p>Mildly surprised that there were no beach balls at D’s graduation this year…this from a school where a blow up female doll was batted around 2 years ago!</p>