Posted on 06/16/2009 6:26:58 PM PDT by Artemis Webb
For teens, there is no greater joy than graduating high school. Shaking off the shackles of education and claiming that hard-fought diploma is truly an epic day. Unfortunately, for several students at Bonny Eagle High School in Maine, their natural exuberance has led to some surprisingly serious problems.
On Friday night, when the senior class was waiting to graduate, excitement began to grow. Students bounced a large inflatable rubber duck. The noise level rose. And then came "the kiss." When called, one student walked on stage to receive his diploma and blew a kiss to his family. The school administrator, clearly not the sentimental sort, sent the student back to his seat ... sans diploma.
The seemingly harsh punishment has sent the Web all aflutter. Searches on "student denied diploma" and "bonny eagle high school" are both through the roof. Additionally, blogs and news papers are chiming in with opinions on whether or not the administration overreacted. The student's mother has given interviews and is quite upset at her son's treatment. According to an article from Fox News the outraged mother said, "A bow, a kiss to your mom is not misbehavior."
But the administrators feel they were just enforcing the rules that students agreed to. At a meeting following the debacle, school superintendent Suzanne Lukas said that "if a student doesn't adhere to the expectations, then the consequences are clearly spelled out."
(Excerpt) Read more at buzz.yahoo.com ...
ROTFLMAO!!!
If this was a private school I would agree with you. The contract would have been **freely** entered into by the student and his parents. The parents would have **freely** agreed to the school policies when the child enrolled.
But...This is a government school. The kid is required by law to attend. He is under police compulsion, unless his parents can ransom him or pay a freedom of conscience tax in the form of homeschool or private school expenses.
If there was an agreement signed between the student and the government it is hardly freely contracted. The student and his family are given three choices by the government:
1) submit to the government’s will and restrict free speech.
2) Pay a freedom of conscience tax ( in addition to police compelled school taxes) in the form of homeschool or private school expenses.
3) Drop out of the government indoctrination camp, and be punished by the government by not being allowed to graduate.
I am reminded of the Godfather's “an offer they can't refuse.”
Boot licker....
Minorities? Republicans in the House and Senate...?
Some folks around here need to calm down. This principle is not some Nazi government school indoctrinator. He is trying to maintain control of a public event full of 17-18 year old kids that have more hormones than common sense. Some of the parents aren’t any better.
The kid will receive his diploma in the mail. In fact probably none of the students got a diploma that day, they just got the cover.
The kiss the student blew was more than likely an over the top gesture designed to draw attention to him rather than salute his parents.
The graduation ceremony is a privilege not a right. Act like a reasonable adult and you will be treated like an adult. Act like a dumb kid and get sent to your seat with your pride bruised.
My kids and I were wondering if this is one of those coerced situations, where the kids are REQUIRED to sign a code of conduct, or they aren't permitted to participate in the graduation ceremony. They'd get their diplomas mailed to them but can't walk across stage without guaranteeing that they'll *behave* themselves, whatever that means, and it seems to usually mean what the administration chooses it should mean.
I'm wondering about the specifics of the *agreement* myself.
Here is a link to a video which shows the student and what he did.
This is the content of the graduation agreement.
Bonny Eagle High School
Class of 2009
Graduation Expectations
The class of 2009, parents, staff members and the Bonny Eagle community want to have a dignified and respectful graduation for members of the class and their family. Students have worked for thirteen years and have met the requirements of graduation from Bonny Eagle and are to be awarded for their accomplishment. To that end, class officers, parents and high school
staff are asking the following of members of the class and attendees of graduation:
Proper attire is required under gowns worn by graduates.
Gentlemen will wear slacks, collared shirt, tie, and dress shoes. No
sneakers, boots, or jeans are allowed.
Ladies will wear a light-colored skirt or dress and dress shoes. No
sneakers or flip flops are allowed.
No writing or decorations or any kind are allowed on student caps. All
students carry a yellow rose. No other items are allowed to be carried
during the graduation processional.
Those not dressed as required will not march at the Civic Center and will
receive their diploma the following Monday at school.
No noise makers/horns/bells during the graduation ceremony including
during the receipt of diplomas.
No inflatable items (beach balls, etc.) will be brought to the ceremony.
Students will be respectful of the quest speaker and student performers
during his/her presentation.
Student may celebrate – as a class – at the end of the ceremony.
Anyone who disrupts the ceremony will be escorted out of the Civic Center by security.
OTHER IMPORTANT INFORMATION:
Tickets to the graduation ceremony are required. Each student will receive twelve tickets. Two are for seating on the floor reserved for parents of the graduates. The remaining ten are for general admission seating available for all other students. Students who need additional tickets are encouraged to network with their classmates as they will not be provided by the school. Doors to the Civic Center will open at 5:00PM to attendees.
Signing this Expectations Agreement means that you will honor these requests. We appreciate your joining us for graduation and making this important event and honorable one for our graduates. Thank you.
____________________________________ ____________________________________
Student Signature & Date Parent Signature & Date
Oh, yeah........I see it ....”do not blow a kiss to your mom, do not wave to friends”.........yep there it is NOT!
this school district is crazy. if you read the article you will see that the POLICE escorted another student out of there.........he didn’t even get on stage. the cop threatened to arrest him. this is ludicrous. I hope these parents settle this to their satisfaction.
No Boots!!! Screw them.
Nuff said.
“...since I graduated from USMC boot camp...”
The miserable POS flexing her “administrative” muscle should have to be able to survive USMC boot camp, and all forms of hazing should be allowed in her case.
“Comments” aren’t very laudatory regarding this superintendent. I’ve noticed over the past few years that people are really very down on zero tolerance public schools and can be quite insulting in responding to certain situations such as this one — a sign that public support for schools is waning?
Thirty years ago my brother’s graduation class threw firecrackers at the administration and school board. Nothing happened to them. This stuff isn’t new.
I shredded my list, it was just getting to big. Made nice compost in the garden. :)
But...This is a government school. The kid is required by law to attend. He is under police compulsion, unless his parents can ransom him or pay a freedom of conscience tax in the form of homeschool or private school expenses.
The government school could also refuse to have a graduation ceremony and just mail the diplomas out. There is not some "right" to be provided a graduation ceremony where you get to walk the stage and have your friends and family witness a commencement ceremony honoring your achievement of completing school. If the school district is going to go the the financial and logistical trouble of holding the ceremony, then it is reasonable to expect the participants to observe the rules of decorum for the event. If you want to exercise your free speech to make some kind of statement, do it on your own time and your own expense.
I graduated in 1965. This sort of stuff has gone on a long time.
This type of parent just bugs me to no end. It says clearly that celebrations are allowed by the class as a whole at the end of the ceremony.
Her little can do no wrong child is entitled to extra attention. He must have a 504 plan that gives him 30 sec of spot light time when there is a crowd.
What would have been better is if the staff just left the building. “Here are the diplomas come up and get yours, we’re out of here”. Just because we are public employees some parents and kids think it’s a green light for abuse and disrespect.
I can’t wait to hear about this kid at his first job. “What do you mean I’m fired?” “You told me to act appropriate in front of customers.” “Yea I thought it was appropriate.” “Wait till mom hears about this.”
When I was in high school, I wanted to learn some skill trade and vocational skills like metal fabricating and wood shop. That is what high school should be. I was bored and high school started early.
Even if it does say that you can’t blow a kiss to your mom, I doubt very much that it says they can take away your diploma as a punishment. One would also like to see where it is that such a regulation is authorized by law. Most states specifically identify the requirements for graduation. I bet that’s not one of them.
My suspicion is that the real rub here is that the article implies that the student was denied his high school diploma. I suspect that they simply ruled that he could not pick it up at the graduation ceremony.
The financial trouble is more from taxpayers, thank you very much!!! I pay my taxes to the great school of bonny eagle and was an 05 graduate. I feel these kids deserve a break and that graduation is about having fun for the last time as a kid!!! I was at this graduation and outraged to say the least at what happened. I personally did not know the kids involved but even I wanted to stand up for them and slap the administration for behaving so horribly. I think that the super needs to submit her resignation and find a more suitable occupation for her attitude. I am now the mother of a 4 year old and WILL NOT be sending him to her prison!!!!!!!
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