Class VP arrested after coming late to graduation

Class VP arrested after coming late to graduation

For Maquisha Cosey, vice president of Thornton Fractional North High School's class of 2006, graduation day is not one she'll soon forget.

And not for any of the sentimental reasons.

It's the day that Cosey, who was listed on Friday's graduation program as the leader of the pledge to the flag, was arrested and charged with criminal trespass and disorderly conduct after trying to participate in the ceremony despite being denied entry for being late.

More...

:shk:

What a ridiculous situation. If her side of the story is true, what are those educators thinking? Power hungry idiots!

It's insanity! Absolutely insane! It's just hard for me to believe. What kind of a control freak would do something like this?

Edit: They should of just let her in...

[edit on 6/5/2006 by Masisoar]

why is it news like this doesnt surprize me anymore

If you're going to report a story, report the WHOLE story...

Wilhite says he was told Cosey was arrested for "screaming and yelling in the gymnasium long after the graduation was all over." Court papers, with the principal listed as the complainant, allege she "knowingly and intentionally acted in an unreasonable manner and provoke[d] a breach of the peace by continually yelling and screaming and threatening the school staff during the graduation proceedings."

It all started when Cosey arrived at the high school in Calumet City two minutes before doors were scheduled to be locked. Invitations had clearly stated no one would be allowed in to the 6 p.m. ceremony after 5:55 p.m., and students had been instructed to arrive at 5 p.m.

She was late and then threw a fit... I'm not saying that I agree she should have been arrested, once she arrived her actions and attitude got her arrested sad story but she knew to be there by 5pm.





[edit on 5-6-2006 by elevatedone]

Originally posted by elevatedone
If you're going to report a story, report the WHOLE story...

Read my post:

...If her side of the story is true...

Originally posted by elevatedone
She...then threw a fit...

She, and others, claim otherwise....

Moreover, it's nice to see that in your book preventing someone from participating in such a seminal moment in their life- participation in their high school graduation- the lessons you prefer are punctuality...form over substance...and the senseless exercise of power.



[edit on 5-6-2006 by loam]

Originally posted by elevatedone
She was late and then threw a fit... I'm not saying that I agree she should have been arrested, once she arrived her actions and attitude got her arrested sad story but she knew to be there by 5pm.

If you don't think she should be arrested then what is the point of your post? That she did something 'wrong'? So what? That she didn't follow the instructions given to her to the letter? So what? She's 18. She yelled. Screamed. What high school girl doesn't?

She arrived 2 minutes before the door was locked and they still wouldn't let her in!

This attitude of "well, she knew her instructions" is exactly why this kind of thing is happening in schools today. A girl brings a new gum to school and gets suspended for 'drugs'.

"She knew the rules"! Bah!

total bull... I mean come on.... look at this... all over the country... why do we put up with this crap... god #... appalling... I hate this world... at least this country...

WHy would you arrest a girl for trying to get into her own graduation, these things mean a lot, what do you expect, I say we bar dick cheney from some ceremony in retaliation

EDIT: I know lets keep him out of bohemian grove

[edit on 6/8/06 by TristanBW9456]

When it was almost over, a parent inside saw her pressed against a window in cap and gown and motioned her to a back door, where the parent and a police officer let her in and told her to take her reserved seat, even though she'd missed participating, Cosey said.

I think the principle was just being a hot head and had too much zero tolerance mumbo jumbo stuffed into his head. If another parent and police officer let her in, the principle has done her some major wrong. She is now missing her college orientation because of this stupid principle.

Her story could have been easily checked out by the principle by finding the cop, and taken care of the situation without having her thrown in jail. Jeeze exactly how many cops were there? Probablly not too many to be able to question them all. Now she has a rap sheet and for what? Being two minutes late for your own graduation.

I could just see trying to get employment. Question: Have you ever been arrested? Yes or No If yes, please explain:

Now what is she going to put in the explaination that won't look phony? Could you just imagine an interviewer looking an answer saying police officer let me in to my graduation after being two minutes late. You know the employer is going to think something else was up. It really sounds like the lame excuse that no one will believe anymore: My dog ate my homework. Even if she only has minor problems because of this, she is still going to be humiliated every time she has to write that down for any type of application. I'm sure some companies have zero tolerance towards any arrest records.

After they get through this, I hope that girl and her family sues that principle and school for what they are worth.

I found more to this story.

nwitimes.com... 60db169c50ffe78625718400129070.txt

They were two minutes late, because they had to pick up a blouse at the seamstress. Since the seamstress was ill, she was not able to finish the blouse. They tacked the blouse in place after the graduate had it on. Yes, both the mother and daughter did bang on the door.

"The teacher who closed the door in her face -- she's heartless," Cosey said. "The class was not walking in when she (Maquisha) was beating on the door, they were lining up."

This says that another parent let Maquisha in. Whether or not a cop did also as stated in the first article, I don't know. The article also states that the dean "pushed" her into the stairwell, took her out the back door. He doesn't sound too nice shoving people around.

Her mother insists Maquisha will go to orientation.

I hope they don't get into worse leagal reprucessions especially jail time because they skipped the trial, and Maquisha would have left the state.

I'll end this post with the final quesiton asked in the article.

"If she was on the program, how could she be trespassing? I just want to know why."

[edit on 14-6-2006 by Mystery_Lady]

Bah, who cares.

The 'dance' part of the prom is the most meaninless part anyway.

Besides, we're talking about people that are high school administrators, OF COURSE THEY'RE POWER HUNGRY IDIOTS!

Those who can, do. Those who can't, teach.


And, as my gym teacher friend says, "those of us who can't teach, teach gym".

[edit on 14-6-2006 by Nygdan]

You know, this is just not very surprising anymore. How ridiculous! I am quite sure that if I was denied entrance to my graduation, something that I worked 4 years towards, because I was at the door 2 minutes before the "time limit" and was turned away, I would be pitching a huge fit too! I will even give the benefit of the doubt and say she was 5 minutes late. This is not like the graduation will be ruined for other students if she was late, either. Reminds me of my high school, where if you threw your cap in the air after everything was over, you wouldn't receive your diploma. What gives? What is the control issue that makes someone put up such idiotic rules?

Difference is, I guess, that at my school, I am quite sure that half of the graduating class would have walked out if I was denied entrance, and the principal would have looked like a buffoon with only half of the graduating class there.

I just can't believe that something like this would happen, and I really can't believe that there are people on here that are going to say, "she was wrong." Must be those angels that never did a single thing wrong in school.

Mystery_Lady raises a very valid point on the arrest record and future employment issue... What idiots!

niteboy82: Dude, your avatars are freakin' me out!!!!!

Originally posted by niteboy82
I am quite sure that if I was denied entrance to my graduation, something that I worked 4 years towards, because I was at the door 2 minutes before the "time limit" and was turned away, I would be pitching a huge fit too! I will even give the benefit of the doubt and say she was 5 minutes late.

Difference is, I guess, that at my school, I am quite sure that half of the graduating class would have walked out if I was denied entrance, and the principal would have looked like a buffoon with only half of the graduating class there.

Just to clarify a point...she was not 2 minutes late, or 5 minutes late. She was supposed to be there at 5PM, which makes her about 55 minutes to an hour late.

It all started when Cosey arrived at the high school in Calumet City two minutes before doors were scheduled to be locked. Invitations had clearly stated no one would be allowed in to the 6 p.m. ceremony after 5:55 p.m., and students had been instructed to arrive at 5 p.m.

Try showing up at your job an hour late each day; see how long you'll last.

Sad, but a life lesson should be learned here.

Originally posted by jsobecky
Try showing up at your job an hour late each day; see how long you'll last.

Sad, but a life lesson should be learned here.

Not one that would prevent her from gainful employment. Your sense of scale is ridiculous!

What is this world coming too? Has EVERYONE gone crazy? I mean.. It's not called a "Commencement" for a reason.. This is nuts, You think the principal would be her advocate and stand her for.. What are these people thinking? This is disturbing..

Originally posted by jsobecky
Just to clarify a point...she was not 2 minutes late, or 5 minutes late. She was supposed to be there at 5PM, which makes her about 55 minutes to an hour late.

The ceremony was at 6, therefore she was 5 minutes early. Sure, they were supposed to be there at 5, but listen to yourself! She was not late for the ceremony, she was late for the time period when nothing really happens at all. Nothing! It was the most boring time consuming silliness. I spent most of my time stepping out to take swigs of liquor and smoking cigarettes! Do you really think this was sufficient reason to deny someone this?

Try showing up at your job an hour late each day; see how long you'll last.

Sad, but a life lesson should be learned here.

There is such a huge difference. This also was only from the article a one time event, not a daily thing. I'm not even bothering with this one, because it is absolute bs defense. Come on, JsoBecky! I am used to at least having a more sensical debate than this with you. Can you just not defend to the hilt for a second, and think on the other side? Was this the most appropriate thing to do? Couldn't you have just maybe told her, "Young lady, this will not be tolerable in the real world, we could have not allowed you in, but this is your graduation, and this can be a learning experience to take with you. Please take your seat." Is that so hard?

If she arrived before then she wasn't late was she.

The situation is indeed completely ridiculous these days. I went through all primary and high school, some Uni and other college courses and jobs and had no disciplinary problems ever recorded against me ever at all, I got on fine with bosses and teachers (there was one real problem IBM manager but everyone had something against him anyway). The worst I did was draw a picture of a teacher and got caught one time - but the other staff thought it was funny anyway. No work problems either.

However, in 2001-2002 I got these people in an English college giving me trouble for no reason at all, and because I fought back against them plus did what the principal told me to re. the situation, the same principal first suspended then expelled me from the course. That's not even the whole story, which shames the people that worked for that college even more so - especially considering how even though the suspension stopped me doing any coursework for 2 weeks I was still on time with all my coursework when I returned.

I've also had the exact same double standards applied against me in the same mentally ill way in quite a few situations after that time - I of course know this is all coming from the same source despite it being done through all kinds of people but that's the conspiracy part that you can't prove - yet. Things will change. It's some kind of mental infection that has lots of power-hungry evil people able to be abusing any power they have to give the people who make no trouble the most problems and help out the worst people that ruin the world for everyone else as much as they can, and you read all about it in the newspapers every day - there'll be a story like mine and in this thread here. It's totally out of order.

This is such a joke and I hope she fights it all the way..
I mean.. I graduated from culinary school... I was throwing my chef's jacket on when I was walking INTO the auditorium, not out of disrespect, I just didnt feel the need to stand around in it sweating like a fiend for 2 hours before the ceremony.. I wasnt the only one.. And were told, if youre going to be late which we know happens, slip into the back of the auditorium, when your name is called then come up..

This is crap.. I hope the judge can see that

Originally posted by loam
Your sense of scale is ridiculous!

I think your assessments will change when you have to move out of your mother's basement and face life for what it is.