High school graduations are a joyful time when family and friends celebrate the achievement of young people all across the country. When their name is called to walk the graduation stage, often times parents and friends cheer for one another.

However, that excitement and cheering got four people arrested during a high school graduation in Senatobia, MS this past week. Many people are disgusted and outraged over this decision to arrest people for cheering the hard work of their young people.

Superintendent Jay Foster says this is not the first time family members have gotten out of hand.

“In the past, there have been things going on where people have yelled at–even left during the ceremony,” Foster said. “[Those instances] have caused certain graduates to not be able to hear their name called.”

Foster and the school wants all of their parents and friends to wait for all the names to be called before cheering. This is to allow everyone in the building an opportunity to hear the names of their young people being called without making the service last hours longer than it has to be because it has to stop each time someone cheers.

He Heard His Sisters Name

In the wake of hearing his sister’s name called, Henry Walker didn’t follow this rule and said something. He was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct along with three other people. .

“The only thing he said was, ‘You did it baby!’ to his little baby sister,” Walker’s mother, Linda, said. “I don’t think its right, the way they did him.”

Many people are speaking out against the arrest and they don’t feel this is right and proper.

“When a child does all they can to graduate, it’s an honor and a privilege for them to walk across that stage. It’s a privilege for me to clap and applaud for mine.”

Foster says school leaders made several attempts to warn parents. He says they even posted a warning in the graduation program saying people who staged outbursts would be asked to leave.

“I hope it sends a message that everybody deserves a right to hear their child’s name being called,” Foster said.

SOUND OFF: What do you think of the decision to arrest people for cheering at a high school graduation?

Source: MyFoxAL