Get Schooled

By DB

May 7, 2008 8:09 AM | Link to this

I love the way our school does it. As each graduate’s name is called, the graduate’s family stands, so they are the only ones standing in the entire crowd. Some families may bring signs or small posters, but most just stand. It serves several purposes — one, the graduate can see them, two everyone can say, “Oh, there’s Joe’s parents, that must be his grandmother” and three, it gives the family a clear shot to take photos!

By jim d

May 7, 2008 8:09 AM | Link to this

Simply stated, the party starts after the ceremony. I’d be quite pis@#D if someone sets of a noise maker as my childs name is called and he crosses the stage.

Jeff, want a job on the evening of the 22nd to assure it doesn’t happen?

By countryteacher

May 7, 2008 8:14 AM | Link to this

“Can we expect decorum with caps and gowns?”

Sadly no. If you look at discipline problems in school they all have one common theme; children not knowing how to act in public. Too many people, who don’t know how to act themselves, are raising self-centered narcissistic children who think the world revolves around them

By Jeff

May 7, 2008 8:42 AM | Link to this

I happen to agree with DB and countryteacher on this one. (And even, to an extent, with jimd.)

The ceremony itself SHOULD be relatively formal, and the audience should be quiet and polite.

Let the partying happen AFTER the ceremony. Besides, most schools I know wouldn’t exactly condone a true party on campus anyway, so why bother? Instead, go to a friend’s place or your parents or whoever is hosting the party and do as you wish. Or go to a local establishment more designed for the purpose. (I personally liked US Play at Kennesaw, simply because they had a bit of everything. Video games, bowling, pool, a cigar lounge, their own microbrewery, etc.) And at that point, party until you pass out or grow up, whichever happens first!

Now, on the flip side, I don’t mind the graduates themselves doing something crazy at graduation. Such as pulling a ‘Patch Adams’ or even Steve’s thing from the 90120 graduation (with the fireworks going down the aisle). Or the more typical sayings taped to the cap. As long as it is relatively subdued (as in temporary and non-obtrusive to those before and after you), go ahead and have fun!

But as I said, save the hard partying for after.

Oh, and jim: When it doesn’t actively affect my physical safety or the physical safety of someone I care about, I tend not to use violence unless ABSOLUTELY necessary. Meaning I take a more ‘live and let live’ approach to near anything when it comes to graduation.

By mom3boys

May 7, 2008 10:11 AM | Link to this

What should happen vs. what will happen: the problem is not the kids. The kids have practice and know the drill. They must leave cell phones in cars, or else surrender them. At my son’s school, the problem is with the families. The ceremony will start off nice enough, but about an hour into it, some idiot will start shouting or ringing a cow bell when his darling is called. I want to shout “Hooray!!” for my son; but it’s not appropriate…but so many of the rednecks crawl out from under their rocks, and cannot behave in a social setting.

By Ernest

May 7, 2008 10:15 AM | Link to this

DB, I like the way your school handles it also! I’m guessing it is somewhat ‘self policing’ in that ‘well intentioned’ friends of the graduate won’t make noise during that time as it will draw more attention to them.

I consider myself a ‘traditionalist’ and appreciate the dignity associated with graduation ceremonies. Is it possible because of the conduct we tolerate as ‘promotion’ ceremonies, this carries over to graduation ceremonies? I think that is something to consider.

By Future Counselor

May 7, 2008 10:38 AM | Link to this

It’s a formal celebration. Shut up and be polite for about two hours. Graduation really isn’t for the graduate; it’s for the family. Unfortunately, many people think that they are the only ones excited to see their graduate and that it gives them the right to act stupid. I think DB’s school’s method is awesome. Too bad mine wasn’t like that…

By Stacey

May 7, 2008 10:47 AM | Link to this

I grew up in a small country town where (weather permitting) graduation was held in the football stadium. Shouts, cowbells, airhorns, etc are more or less the norm rather than the exception. Because of this, the principal would just allow enough of a pause before moving on the next name. We always felt sorry for the kid who’s family didn’t act up. I’ve seen clips on TV of graduates acting up but I’ve never been to one where it happened.

Every graduation that I have ever been to here (metro Atlanta) has been held indoors with another graduation taking place in the same building. Celebrations were very disruptive in those cases because we were in a more confined area. Also, the graduation classes here tend to be more the size of college graduation and have to move quickly to finish in any sort of timely fashion. My niece graduated from a large university and they just called the names of the very top students in the class. Otherwise they just called out the different majors and had the graduates stand. My sister was heartbroken that her daughter wasn’t at least able to march across the stage but my niece knew what to expect.

By V for Vendetta

May 7, 2008 11:00 AM | Link to this

C’mon guys, who cares? I’m not so old that I don’t remember the moment in question, and I can honestly say I wouldn’t have cared if a missle had landed in the middle of the football field and detonated into hundreds of galloping My Little Ponies. The drama is simply for the parents, and to be honest, they forget about it after a few years, too. The important thing is responsible FUN! High school is over, man! The end. Done. Fin.

Get over the whole pomp and circumstance style. We had a beachball sailing through the students at my graduation. I remember how much fun that was—goofing off with friends, slapping high fives, and cheering for your pals—more than I remember that ten second walk across the stage.

Bollocks to tradition. Celebration means happiness and fun, not stuffiness and boredom.

By catlady

May 7, 2008 11:06 AM | Link to this

I like the standing idea. Unfortunately, anyone who will blow an airhorn will also not follow that rule, either.

I have quit going to graduations at our local high school because of the rowdy parents. I hate it because I love to see “my” kids graduate, but it is not worth the frustration.

My experience with college graduations (private colleges) has been quite sedate. So were my BS (1973), M.S. (1990) and Phd (1995) from public universities.

By JustMe

May 7, 2008 11:22 AM | Link to this

Guys, I think that first the problem needs to be defined. The core problem here is that many graduations take too long because of the large number of students.

For large class sizes, graduations can take HOURS. If you add things such as family members standing for each student, or clapping/air horns/whatever for each student, those HOURS take even longer! Talk about boredom?

So, the core problem here is time. No one wants to sit through a 5 hour gradution, do they? This is why many schools ask for family members to wait until all names are called. It is not because they are mean, or unreasonable, or anything like that.

However, home life is clearly reflected in graduations when some family members refuse to be polite and cheer over the names of other students. This is plain rude. But, they don’t care because they are in a selfish mode.

Is there any wonder why their children are rude and disrespectful?

By jim d

May 7, 2008 11:45 AM | Link to this

Let me get this out of the way right now.

10 days

By erin

May 7, 2008 11:51 AM | Link to this

I’m all for tradition and respect during something as meaningful as a high school graduation, but I can see a little light-hearted fun might be nice, too.

My own graduation was very traditional … from both high school and college.

HOWEVER … I attended a graduation in another state a few years back which was anything but, at least at one moment.

This school’s graduating classes would traditionally have a few beach balls to toss among the graduates. It was viewed by all as a fun way to keep things a bit less traditional, a bit more fun.

Everyone was fine with this, as most of the town turned out for graduation, including the entire school board and school district administration (this was a small town with one high school for the entire district).

Problem is, some of the young men in the class smuggled in a blow-up doll to the ceremony and started tossing that around … IN THE MIDDLE OF THE CEREMONY!!! In front of all their parents, the entire class, everyone in attendance, the school board and the district administration.

To be fair to the administration, they did confiscate the doll, but not before everyone saw it, including the moment one of the graduates actually … well, never mind what he did with it. But it was hugely embarrassing to everyone and there was a huge crackdown at the school’s next graduation the following year and the graduates weren’t allowed to bring ANYTHING and weren’t allowed to wear their gowns until they were in the stadium.

By SET

May 7, 2008 12:12 PM | Link to this

The behavior at the graduation reflects the quality and the class of the school. Ghetto schools will have the lowest decorum. They also have the lowest standards of who gets to march.

I remember one ceremony some time ago I watched. A number of students had been banned from the ceremony for misbehavior at a graduation party that took place the week before. The principal made his opening speech welcoming the graduates and families and said that they are here and their former classmates are not because the graduates learned their lessons.

The ceremony was quite dignified.

When you “graduate” every loser and screw up on hand, you can’t expect they or their baby daddys/mommas to behave.

By SET

May 7, 2008 12:13 PM | Link to this

The behavior at the graduation reflects the quality and the class of the school. Ghetto schools will have the lowest decorum. They also have the lowest standards of who gets to march.

I remember one ceremony some time ago I watched. A number of students had been banned from the ceremony for misbehavior at a graduation party that took place the week before. The principal made his opening speech welcoming the graduates and families and said that they are here and their former classmates are not because the graduates learned their lessons.

The ceremony was quite dignified.

When you “graduate” every loser and screw up on hand, you can’t expect them or their baby daddys/mommas to behave.

By Old School

May 7, 2008 3:28 PM | Link to this

Our HS faculty is required to wear robes and hoods and march onto the field where we sit flanking the graduates. We have the hooting and hollering still but airhorns are banned and the cops scattered throughout the audience quickly handles any miscreants. This is much better than years past when a contingent of revelers set up shop in the end zone bleachers and proceeded to celebrate with bass and snare drums, cymbals, and various other racket makers. All that is banned and the ceremony actually borders on dignified…even if the audience is dressed more for the okra patch than a graduation.

For most of our students, high school graduation is the only such ceremony they will have and I think it should be dignified and respectful. College/university graduations, on the other hand, should be joyous and fun but not at the expense of hearing names called up for diplomas.

By Old School

May 7, 2008 3:35 PM | Link to this

No jimdear, or Jeff or anyone who took it the wrong way, not THAT kind of robe! I meant to say GOWNS and hoods (the kind that indicate your college and degree). Luckily we don’t have to wear caps too.

By Stacey

May 7, 2008 4:33 PM | Link to this

Old School…Between the “robes and hoods” and “dressed more for the okra patch than a graduation”, you literally made me laugh out loud just picturing it. I’m sitting here trying to figure out which of my former teachers you are (I’m not from GA). LOL Thanks for the best laugh of the day!

By Martina

May 7, 2008 6:31 PM | Link to this

When my daughter graduated in 2004, we were “treated” to students doing backflips as they walked across the stage, a girl wearing a white bikini under her robe flashing the crowd, airhorns,and a mother sitting nearby who talked on her cellphone the whole ceremony. The next year the new principal who took over met with the graduating class before graduation and let them know that any student(and family) not acting properly would NOT get their diploma handed to them on stage but would have to walk off without it!

By Lee

May 7, 2008 6:59 PM | Link to this

Here’s the way it went at my oldest’s graduation a few years ago…

The class officers got their diploma first. Luckily, my daughter was a class officer and we were able to see her getting her diploma while the crowd was still subdued.

Next comes the honor graduates. Now, being honor graduates, most of these kids come from parents of at least average intelligence. There might be an occasional smattering of applause, but that’s about it.

Now comes the general student body. The first few graduates make it through without incident. Finally, it happens. The graduate is called whose mom (usually a 300 lb black woman) stands up and hollers “Dat’s mah baybeeee. Whooop! Whooooooop! You go Quintaraychelle. Whooop.” Then, as they say, it goes downhill from there. By the time they get to the end of the alphabet, the stands resemble a scene from Animal House.

It will be interesting when the youngest graduates from her private school in a couple of years. Who wants to bet that ceremony will be conducted with the respect and dignity it deserves?

By HB

May 7, 2008 7:00 PM | Link to this

Martina, my high school actually refused to give ANYONE diplomas on stage. When his name was called, each student would walk up and receive and empty folder. The diplomas were stacked in alphabetical order at a table near the ceremony for students to pick up just after it ended, provided they had behaved. In theory, they would keep those of students who acted inappropriately, but to my knowledge, they never had to resort to that.

By luvs2teach

May 7, 2008 9:29 PM | Link to this

Similar to Lee’s experience, when my daughter, an honor student, graduated in ‘05, her part of the ceremony was pretty calm. As they got to the non-honor roll of names, the crowd became increasingly rowdy - some kids, it was clear, had been on the 5 (or 6) year plan, and their parents were just thrilled their “little baby” had FINALLY finished.

My son is graduating in December, a semester early. His school doesn’t allow those students to walk in May. He asked if I cared - I really don’t. I asked him if he thought he would miss out, regret it later, or even be sad about leaving his friends - that’s a non-issue because most of his friends are graduating this year (he’s a September baby and so missed the cut-off by DAYS), and he said ‘no.’

By catlady

May 7, 2008 9:45 PM | Link to this

What ever happened to Baccalaureate? We were REQUIRED to show up for it in order to graduate from high school. A solemn, preachy affair. My children’s (private} colleges also had it too, and students were required to attend.

Last May I went to ASC’s graduation and one of the speakers was an alumna, about 90 years old, who gave ‘em Hll! It was the best one I have ever heard.

By WFC

May 8, 2008 7:03 AM | Link to this

I’ve given my son (‘09 grad) the same marching orders I gave him about achieving success on the athletic field: behave as if you fully expected to achieve, have done it before, and expect to do it again. Leave the exhibitionist BS to those for whom high school graduation will be the high point of their lives.

By Old School

May 8, 2008 12:47 PM | Link to this

Stacey, I’m still at this teaching thing way down here in “the other Georgia.” I’ve been teaching for 34 years in what they now call the CTAE Department. I also taught a number of summers at VSU in the GHP.

A former shop teacher and now ED&D instructor, I’ve always been “non-traditional” and am proud of it.

And yes, I’ve broken okra, handed/strung tobacco, and packed pickles. Sure makes one appreciate a GOOD education!