Note: Lamar County High School has moved its graduation ceremony to 9 a.m. Saturday morning from Friday nights in an attempt to dodge bad weather and cut out raucous behavior by graduation guests. This piece appeared in the Macon Telegraph commenting on a photo of a police officer removing a young man wearing shorts and flip-flops from a ceremony there.
By Kathleen McLane
The young man pictured on your front page being escorted out of a graduation ceremony by an officer was doing his job. Hooray for the officer. Boo to the whining young man. Boo to the mother of his friend who defended him for being dressed like he was going to the nearest rave event.
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As far as graduation goes, shorts & polo shirts would be o.k. Slacks & polos would be fine, too. Jeans & polos, too. But, flip-flops -- that's not kosher. Disclaimer: The shirts would have to be tucked-in, and belts worn with slacks, or shorts. Socks would be required with the slacks. And, loafers or tennis shoes with the shorts. All clothing would have to be in good repair.
The point is, as long as the attendees are neatly dressed, then I don't see the disrespect for the ceremony, as it is often held outside or in a gymnasium.
The sticking point is the raucous behavior -- the yelling, hollering, & acting like a fool at an event that is supposed to be honoring the grads. Clapping in unison would be fine, but spare me the catcalls.
Bottom line, celebrate but don't turn the event into a circus.
Graduation attire should be casual and comfortable. Having loved ones there to support our seniors should be more important.
So, by just requiring that one set of attire -- slacks, shoes, dress shirts, dresses of proper length, & blouses that are not too revealing... -- then, it's much easier to enforce without having to deal with a lot of different variations.
Bottom line... Keep it neat & presentable... Still think that the behavior issue is a bigger problem than the dress code issue, although the dress code should be somewhat uniform across the board.
But that's in the past and I'm very happy that I won't have to deal with this again until my grandchildren graduate. By then I'm sure I'll be half deaf- those rock concerts when I was younger are taking their toll.
Congratulations to the Class of 2010.
This is suppose to be a joyous and special occasion for all and if someone wants to "yell" or cheer for their child let them. This is an event that's rare and only happen once a year in most people lives.
Graduating once a year?????????
The hollering came from all races and I have the video to show who were doing it because I recorded it. This is an exciting time for the families that have graduates on the field and I had one graduating also and 10 more family members and friends. The noise is on my video but I am not complaining. It were their day not ours. When you are old, you want quiet. You should have stayed at home, we were not in church where quietness is acceptable. Maybe that is why the spirit will not come there either. No Praise.
Curious, what ;aw was he breaking that warranted a police officer to excert his authority over him, at a public event?
"...Lamar County High School has moved its graduation ceremony to 9 a.m. Saturday morning...to...cut out raucous behavior by graduation guests."
If an attendee is yelling, cat- calling, or is just generally disrupting the ceremony for those that are acting civil, then the violators should be escorted out of the venue. If this situation is still occurring, then the message isn't being sent in a manner that the violators take seriously. Give-em' an inch, and they'll take a mile.
Presently it is what has happened to our society when families forget teaching correct manners to their little ones and then the little one grows up and have babies. Those little ones can't be taught manners because the moms and dads haven't a clue what GOOD social manners are.
Funny though, when it's time for their baby to shine, they get mad at the lack of respect in the world. Just a sign of the times.
Society has become more forgiving of these social ills. Leaders in government and other segments of society are getting caught with their britches down -- literally. Just ask John Edwards and the Governor of South, Carolina.
Erin Andrews -- the hot chick -- that does the sideline reporting on TV for college football had her nude photo taken thru a keyhole in her hotel suite's door by a stalker. It was put on the internet, and she brought a lawsuit against the culprit. Then, She turns right around and shakes her booty, while being scantily clad attire, on the wildly popular TV Show -- Dancing With The Stars. If She's gonna flaunt it, then she should expect suitors.
Great example "slick willie" sets for the youths of our nation.
A sign of the times is the new wording for so what, who cares, I don't care, I'm not going to do anything about it attitude. I'm hearing it everywhere.
And I sign my name, Denise, not Anonymous
Check out to percentage of teenagers who don't. You will be shocked, even in todays world.
...just sayin'
However, the biggest problem for those in charge is enforcing these guideline without further disrupting the process. The majority of those that are guilty of these antics are either illiterate, or uneducated themselves. They don't have the mental capacity, or the wherewithal, to understand that they are demeaning the accomplishments of those being recognized.
You can explain it to them, but it just doesn't register. Glory be the day, when these imbeciles are escorted from the premises. Then, maybe they'll get the message loud and clear. Fat chance of that happening, however.
It is a shame that the parents of today do not want to be bothered by their children and depend on a government school to teach their off springs everything--politics--manners--dress-religion. Point is, they teach the students instead of the parents, but I guess it is too much to ask of them to teach their own flesh and blood the basics of life and the school to finish the education with the curriculum that is necessary to make it in life. You can tell that most of the parents do not care by the way their kids act. I saw it in a lot of adults also. I guess when some of the adults act and dress like some of the ones I saw, how can you expect any better out of their children.
And, the very things / rules that those in attendance were asked to abide by, go unheeded by those attending the ceremonies. So, at this time next year we'll be having this same discussion all over again.
At what point is the leadership of, not only, our public schools -- but, of our government, as well, going to quit winking at keeping civility and do something about the disrespect for it?
Does the dress code and behavior issue violations exist in the private school graduation ceremonies? If not, then why can't they be reined-in, in the public school sector, as well...