Fort Mill High School Has Folks Arrested for Cheering (York: crime, employment)

[FortMillBound]

I honestly could not believe this when I read it. Fort Mill High School graduation attendees were instructed not to cheer until the end of the ceremony or they would be removed. Four folks cheered when their loved one walked the stage and they were ARRESTED and CHARGED with disorderly conduct. First time offenders (2 were teenagers) now have permanent criminal records for cheering for their family member.

While I agree with the need to control outburts so everyone could hear, why couldn't the police just remove the folks from the coliseum and keep them out? Why in heavens name did they feel the need to arrest and charge them? Is it really "disorderly conduct" to cheer at graduation?

Thoughts?

FOXNews.com - 7 Arrested for Cheering at High School Graduations - Local News | News Articles | National News | US News

[muskratlove]

Originally Posted by FortMillBound

Why in heavens name did they feel the need to arrest and charge them? Is it really "disorderly conduct" to cheer at graduation?

Thoughts?

Personally, I think most reactions today are overboard. There seems to be a tendency nowadays to go extreme and make a point. I don't think placing a permanent record on someone makes much sense unless its for a real justifiable crime against someone. Yes, they broke the rules against cheering but I feel that damaging someones future chances at obtaining employment is really not worth it. Our society is filled with people coming out of the prison or jail system and cannot hold a respectable job due to their past. So many will probably say that they deserved it for breaking the rules but think of the slippery slope this presents...

It remains to be seen how making a joyous time in one's life turned into a funeral service is really a celebration of accomplishment. It's not like they shouted "Fire!". If these persons were inciting some violence or causing massive disruptions I'm sure there is more grounds then to levy the charges. I think the people charged should fight the charges against them. If this is a public ceremony and one is not a student, should one not be able to "cheer". What about the right to free speech? Believe it or not, there are grey areas to law enforcement and this should be one of them.

If such "rules" are left in place one should just ignore the graduation ceremony. What is the difference if they receive it in the mail? Get a gown and take a picture and you can have your own ceremony.

[VaTechKA]

I was at the graduation and I was appalled by the actions of the police. My family and I had trouble even paying attention to the graduation because of the ridiculous amounts of police staring us down. It actually instilled fear and anxiety into my friends and one of them felt compelled to leave.

After the ceremony, my friend spoke with one of the police to ask about the security. The police said various things like "If we are instilling fear in people, we are doing our jobs" and some other ridiculous statements. The police feel that their JOB is to instill fear in people? That is ridiculous. What happened to protecting and serving?

I agree that loud celebrations should not be encouraged after EVERY name at the graduation, but I did not hear one single "Loud Celebration" that made it difficult to hear any individual's name.

The force that was used to arrest some of the "offenders" was ridiculous. The police were jerking them around. The amount of force seemed to depend on how loud their celebration was....

The police that my friend talked to also made references to terrorism and school shootings. My friend said "Wouldnt putting a metal detector at the front door eliminate the fear of a shooting or terrorist act?" The police replied saying that metal detectors are not 100% effective at deterring such acts, but that by enforcing the no cheering/clapping rule they were doing a better job than a metal detector would....

To me, that makes no sense. I wish my friend had recorded these statements.

[muskratlove]

Originally Posted by VaTechKA

The police replied saying that metal detectors are not 100% effective at deterring such acts, but that by enforcing the no cheering/clapping rule they were doing a better job than a metal detector would....

Wait a sec...no clapping too? Wow, 1984 here we come!

[VaTechKA]

Originally Posted by muskratlove

Wait a sec...no clapping too? Wow, 1984 here we come!

Oh no clapping or nose making whatsoever..... We aren't just talking about people yelling and screaming, we are talking about ANY form of celebration. One family decided they would all cough when their loved one's name was called... they were also escorted out.

Stone cold faces of police officers stared into the crowd the entire time in an attempt to intimidate everyone in attendance, and to catch anybody making the slightest bit of noise.

[SouthernBelleInUtah]

I understand your frustration, but.... As a former high school teacher, I can tell you about graduations that were so rowdy, with cheering, noise-makers, whooping, cat-calling, whistling, that it was bedlam! When people stood up for their graduate, they didn't always sit down right away and then the folks behind them couldn't see. There has to be a happy medium, but I don't know what it is!

[VaTechKA]

Originally Posted by SouthernBelleInUtah

I understand your frustration, but.... As a former high school teacher, I can tell you about graduations that were so rowdy, with cheering, noise-makers, whooping, cat-calling, whistling, that it was bedlam! When people stood up for their graduate, they didn't always sit down right away and then the folks behind them couldn't see. There has to be a happy medium, but I don't know what it is!

Perhaps a happy medium would be this: allow clapping, do not allow yelling or standing.

[justgayle]

OMG! And here I have been singing the praises of this school and how I was looking forward to my son going there next year as it sounded so great. Maybe not after this? I'm not too sure how I feel about the police in Fort Mill either. The last thing I need is to move to Stepford or 1984!! Tell me the school is appalled and aplogizing!?

[VaTechKA]

Originally Posted by justgayle

OMG! And here I have been singing the praises of this school and how I was looking forward to my son going there next year as it sounded so great. Maybe not after this? I'm not too sure how I feel about the police in Fort Mill either. The last thing I need is to move to Stepford or 1984!! Tell me the school is appalled and aplogizing!?

Not that I have heard, no. They may apologize this year because of all the press, but they have done this for years in a row. Last year the big stink was over 3 kids that went to jail. This year, apparently, it's seven.

[Singe]

Originally Posted by FortMillBound

I honestly could not believe this when I read it. Fort Mill High School graduation attendees were instructed not to cheer until the end of the ceremony or they would be removed. Four folks cheered when their loved one walked the stage and they were ARRESTED and CHARGED with disorderly conduct. First time offenders (2 were teenagers) now have permanent criminal records for cheering for their family member.

While I agree with the need to control outburts so everyone could hear, why couldn't the police just remove the folks from the coliseum and keep them out? Why in heavens name did they feel the need to arrest and charge them? Is it really "disorderly conduct" to cheer at graduation?

Thoughts?

FOXNews.com - 7 Arrested for Cheering at High School Graduations - Local News | News Articles | National News | US News

This story cracks me up and I think it's just ridiculous. what happened to Freedom of Speech? A couple of years ago when we came up to visit the area we went to the 'Outback' on a SUNDAY and my husband attempted to order a beer and about fell out of the booth when he was denied because York Co. wasn't selling alcohol on Sundays. We laughed so hard and immediately thought of the movie 'FootLoose'. Now after this I'm really starting to believe this area is a replica of the movie.....