Blowing kisses? BOWING? OUTRAGEOUS!!!!

[DrFaroohk]

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,526642,00.html?mrp

http://www.associatedcontent.com/art...oma.html?cat=9


So basically this kid got denied his diploma for blowing a kiss to his mom.

Either this guy got SCREWED for no reason, which I can attest to the fact that it happens more often than people think, or there's more going on that the article left out. It does get kinda vague as to exactly what disruptions were going on at graduation, but it sounds like another case of "I'm an authority figure but I don't actually want to do my job, so I'm going to target the lesser offenders so it LOOKS like I'm busy".....

If I was this kid, I'd be doing some sick shit to the principal's family. Of course I'm not that kid, nor do I advocate any such behavior.

[Giggle Goose]

I think it's great that they're cracking down on inappropriate behavior at graduations. It's so rude when they're calling someone's name and someone is throwing a beach ball or screaming and blowing airhorns for the previous person. Sometimes a lot of people get drowned out.

But for blowing a kiss? That's a bit extreme. I think the school was trying to show how "tough" they were by withholding a diploma for a very minor "infraction." If you even want to call it that...I'm surprised anyone even noticed except for the kids' family!

[AdminAssistant]

I think it's great that they're cracking down on inappropriate behavior at graduations. It's so rude when they're calling someone's name and someone is throwing a beach ball or screaming and blowing airhorns for the previous person. Sometimes a lot of people get drowned out.

THIS!

I'm a professional student. When I get hooded for my doctorate, it will be the end product of 10-12 years of higher education (past high school). And I'll be damned if somebody's going to spoil my moment because they wanted to be cute and moon the audience or bounce a beach ball or throw some glitter or confetti. Ditto tricking out your mortarboard with pink fuzzies, Christmas lights, or writing messages on top. It's tacky and disrespectful. If you want to celebrate with silly shit like that, do it AFTER the ceremony. Blow air horns, bounce beach balls, hell, strip naked and run across campus for all I care.

I think there's more to the story here. Was the kid a constant show-out? Class clown? Pain in the ass? Besides, it seems like they're only withholding the piece of paper, not the fact that he actually graduated.

[DrFaroohk]

Yeah, it does seem like there's more to it, I'll be the first to admit that. Every story reads the same way though, and it sounds like this is what happened:

Kid comes up, throws a beach ball. Superintendent scowls and grits her teeth. Warns everyone to settle down.

Another kid shows up, yells and blasts music or something. Super scowls, grits her teeth, another warning.

Another kid comes up, flashes his dick at everyone. Super again scowls, grits her teeth, and issues a warning.

Finally, this one guy comes up, does a minor little infraction, and she blows her top.
--

I'm sure the what the kid did violated some sort of rule. That's like a cop writing you a speeding ticket for doing 1 mile over, or being fired from a job because you violated the dress code by wearing navy blue socks instead of blue socks. Yeah, you violated the "rules". But this falls into the category of "bullshit rule enforcement". He was disrupting anyone. He wasn't disrespecting anything. WTF it's not like it was someone's funeral. He blew a kiss to his mother and bowed to her. I just don't see what the big fuss is about.

[Greenday]

Honestly, it wouldn't surprise me if the person was just already pissed off at everyone, and because the kid did something other than just standing perfectly still then accepting his diploma, they blew up on the poor kid.

[powerboy]

Honestly, it wouldn't surprise me if the person was just already pissed off at everyone, and because the kid did something other than just standing perfectly still then accepting his diploma, they blew up on the poor kid.

That is what I think had happened.

[DrFaroohk]

Any thoughts on what, if any, compensations he should receive beyond just getting his diploma back? If it were me, I'd want a new ceremony, just for me, and the superintendent has to cover the costs of flying my family back out to see me get my diploma, and witness the face to face apology she'd be giving me.

I probably wouldn't get any of that, so I'd just have to burn someone's house down.

[Flyndaran]

Not every screw up needs to be punished.
Everyone involved should just apologize and got on with their lives.
Not every little hiccough in life should be a major drama.

[Greenday]

An apology. I can't think of anything else that would actually be valid.

[daleduke17]

Any thoughts on what, if any, compensations he should receive beyond just getting his diploma back? If it were me, I'd want a new ceremony, just for me, and the superintendent has to cover the costs of flying my family back out to see me get my diploma, and witness the face to face apology she'd be giving me.

I probably wouldn't get any of that, so I'd just have to burn someone's house down.

Why should the superintendent apologize? The kid should have to apologize for doing something he shouldn't have.

Why is it against popular opinion for a school to adhere to rules when the senior class is involved (see a different thread about senior pranks for other evidence).

And people wonder why kids act out and don't respect authority anymore.

[Boozy]

Everyone should apologize. And then move on with their lives.

Seriously, how stupidly overblown does a situation need to become before someone finally mans up and admits they overreacted? Who cares whose fault it is?

Good lord, this is the dumb shit that causes wars to start.

[powerboy]

Why should the superintendent apologize? The kid should have to apologize for doing something he shouldn't have.

She should, because she was the one to over-react. All it was, was a kiss that was blown to his mom. God, forbid for someone to show some kind of love on a happy day.

And people wonder why kids act out and don't respect authority anymore.

Maybe some authority figures, needs to learn how to respect other also. Just because someone is an authority figure, does not mean that they need to respected. Wrap your brain around that fact.

[daleduke17]

Maybe some authority figures, needs to learn how to respect other also. Just because someone is an authority figure, does not mean that they need to respected. Wrap your brain around that fact.

School sets rules, kid breaks rules...school should apologize? Wrong.

[powerboy]

School sets rules, kid breaks rules...school should apologize? Wrong.

She should apologize, because she over reacted. Blowing a kiss is not disrupting a ceremony.

[DrFaroohk]

I'm still curious about what rule he violated. That's one of the parts where the story gets kind of vague. As some other people have suggested, I think he just got lumped in with the beachball kids.

School definitely needs to apologize for this one. They ruined his big day. There was absolutely not one thing that he did to disrupt the ceremony. Bullshit rule enforcement. By denying him his diploma she didn't help to move the ceremony more smoothly, nor did it encourage anyone else to stop being a shithead. She just enforced a "rule" because she could and it made her feel good.

Graduation day is not a funeral, and everyone has their own way of showing how important it is to them. For SOME PEOPLE, it's a deeply religious, solemn, serious occassion. It's meant to be met with deep respect for the school and their love of academia! It's meant to be observed in absolute silence and motionless and boredom.

But that's not everyone. To some other people, their best memories of high school are winning that state championship or the awesome time they had with their friends. To them, it's more appropriate to celebrate by decking out their cap and gown, or doing a special hand signal on the stage to acknowledge and thank the people who were involved in their lives and meant so much to them. Just because the mouth breathing valedictorian didn't have any friends, she shouldn't take it out on those who did.