Ill. students lose diplomas over cheers (and, it appears, race)

[KamaAina]

Just can't make this stuff up...

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070601/ap_on_re_us/graduation_decorum

GALESBURG, Ill. - Caisha Gayles graduated with honors last month, but she is still waiting for her diploma. The reason: the whoops of joy from the audience as she crossed the stage.

Gayles was one of five students denied diplomas from the lone public high school in Galesburg after enthusiastic friends or family members cheered for them during commencement...

Many schools across the country ask spectators to hold applause and cheers until the end of graduation. But few of them enforce the policy with what some in Galesburg say are strong-arm tactics....

In Galesburg, the issue has taken on added controversy with accusations that the students were targeted because of their race: four are black and one is Hispanic. Parents say cheers also erupted for white students, and none of them was denied a diploma.

Imagine my surprise when I ran across this photo of Ms. Gayles, even before reading that last bit:



:sarcasm:

When is this crap ever going to end? They don't parade around in their white hoods anymore (that often), so they rretreat to this passive-aggressive racist crap. :grr: :banghead:

[acmavm]

1. I don't understand how this is legal. Can't something be done to the

school administrators who did this?

[NavyDavy]

2. the aclu said no as long as it was done equal for all races or

something like that....it appears to be racial since some white students guest cheered and nothing was done

[acmavm]

5. I've been to graduations. White people cheer for their kids just like

everyone else so I don't need to hear the remark from the poor kid who didn't get her diploma.

So, since that's the case (I'm white so I'm not being 'racist' - DUers favorite claim), and no white kids were denied their diploma, I don't know what the hell the ACLU is talking about.

[The Backlash Cometh]

3. I see it all the time.

You should see what they're doing with academic scholarships for soccer. If she's a white girl, they'll bend over backwards to give her exposure and ignore her indiscretions. An hispanic or black girl will get derailed along the way because of the people she associates with.

Someone should look into it, because, if all it takes is speed to get an athletic scholarship in soccer, and skills don't count, then it's a secret that seems to be favoring fair head and fair skinned players.

[Sanity Claws]

4. She's being punished for the actions of others?

This really does not make any sense. How can they penalize the student for what families/friends/possibly enemies did?

[progdonkey]

9. yeah, even if it were racially fair...

...I don't see either how it could be legal in the first place to deny a student his/her diploma because someone cheered for him/her.

And you mention "enemies," which is a good point: apparently if you're a white racist who doesn't want that black kid to get his/her diploma, just cheer for them. That'll learn them not to edumacate themselves. :eyes: (Though, maybe the administrators would then say, "Oh, we know they weren't really cheering for that student, because black students don't mix with white students.")

[Nikia]

12. I think that is why it is unfair too

If the graduate had done something in bad taste like flashed someone or shouted something inappropriate, that might be a reason for denial of diploma.
The grauate has no control over other people.

[mitchum]

17. That has me perplexed also

[in_cog_ni_to]

6. They tried that crap at my son's graduation on Wednesday night. They wanted no applause and

no yelling. If a student was out of line...he/she wouldn't get their diploma.

They also sent notes out to the parents to inform them how THEY (the parents!) were expected to 'behave.' They informed us that we would have POLICE at the graduation too! Supposedly, the police were for this outgoing 'unruly' class of 2007.:eyes: It was a very "Hitler-ish" letter to the parents.

The no applause rule quickly went out the window. Everyone cheered for their graduate and you couldn't have asked for a better behaved group of students.

We were also told not to bring any BULLHORNS.:eyes: WTF? How stupid is that?

The school in the article is DEFINITELY being RACIST! If white students were cheered....their diplomas should be withheld too.:grr:

[LisaL]

8. Why should any students diploma be withheld?

Since students are not the ones who cheered, they've done nothing wrong. Why should students be punished for something someone else did?

[in_cog_ni_to]

21. None should be withheld, but if white people were cheering for white students and black people were

cheering for black students...IF they withhold diplomas, it should be across the board! I think the whole thing is BULLSHIT. Why shouldn't families cheer for their graduate? It's an accomplishment that SHOULD BE cheered. I can't believe what this world has come to. It's absolutely ridiculous.

As WE, the parents, were warned...."IF you cheer, yell and clap, your child's diplomas could be withheld." I can only assume this school also sent out the same fascist letter we received.:( Utter bullshit.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

11. If that happened to me...

I'd be cheering for the other parents' kids.

:thumbsup:

[mconvente]

16. if that happened to me, you WOULD need those police there

I would go fucking bonkers - you would be able to hear me screaming and yelling at the administration miles away if they ever tried to pull that bullshit on me when I graduated, or in the future for my children (when/if i have them).

It really does seem racially motivated - I graduated from a VERY homogenous high school, but we did have a few Latino students, and overall their parents/relatives/friends were louder than the white parents - and by god, good for them. It's not like it's an offensive action or rude or whatever - it's called being proud of your child when he/she graduates from highschool. Just fucking utter bullshit...

[ikojo]

14. They did this at my niece's graduation as well.

I stood up and whooped and hollered (and I have a loud mouth, being the sixth of seven kids, it's called a survival tactic). I didn't have a bullhorn but I screamed! So, they didn't get a piece of paper. I can't even remember where my high school diploma is! The important thing is that this girl graduated with honors and has the transcript to prove that.

Galesburg sucks anyway. I went to college in Macomb, Illinois, which is near Galesburg. It's a boring town.

[depakid]

18. I smell a lawsuit

I can't imagine that it's legal ANYWHERE to withhold a kids diploma under these circumstances.

In fact, I think it ought to be criminal and grounds for a misdemeanor citation- in addition to common law remedies.

[gollygee]

7. ACK

ACK ACK how is this happening to her? Who decided that? ACK

:(

[Berry Cool]

10. This is insane.

The media spotlight should shame this school into giving the kids their diplomas.

[juno jones]

13. I don't get this

I graduated early from my IL high school and did not return for my graduation (just speaking personally, eech), but I attended several friend's graduations and we all applauded every graduate. Yeah, our hands were a little sore after, and you could tell families because they made extra noise, but everybody got some community acclaim and the kids for the most part were well behaved.

Bet they have some weird-ass school board members. Any dems in the district willing to run? They say that's the place to start if you want to make a difference....

I am glad that my child and I no longer live in IL.

[MnFats]

15. If y' parents shout, Y' can't have any diploma! How can you have a diploma when y' parents shout?"

they put spies in the audience to monitor shouting? What a crock.
my job means I have attended dozens, if not hundreds of commencement exercises. shouting when one families' grad is named NEVER distrupted things for more than a few seconds. Professional people paused a few seconds, then continued. everybody heard every name.
this is one of the most stupid things I've ever heard.

makes me think of Pink Floyd: "If y' parents shout, Y' can't have any diploma! How can you have a diploma when y' parents shout?"

[SoCalDem]

19. She should not be punished for the rude behavior of her "guests".

That having been said... I was annoyed beyond belief when we attended our own son's baccalaureate and graduation, only to see that apparently in the intervening years from our own to his, EVERY ceremony seems to have evolved into a sporting event.

Cheering, foot stomping, whistling at a baccalaureate:eyes:?

and banners/posters & foam fingers at a graduation??

when did that all happen?

We quit recording the event because the noise was horrendous, and no one could hear what was being said on stage...

Shame on people who don't have any manners..

[Zywiec]

20. This is just crazy.

How can you withold a diploma from someone that has completed all the requirements?

What a bunch of jackasses.