Students loose diploma's over cheering. Was race involved?

news.aol.com...

Gayles was one of five students denied diplomas from the lone public high school in Galesburg after enthusiastic friends or family members cheered for them during commencement.

About a month before the May 27 ceremony, Galesburg High students and their parents had to sign a contract promising to act in dignified way. Violators were warned they could be denied their diplomas and barred from the after-graduation party.

First this was the stupidest thing I had ever heard of. Working 4 years to get out of the jail that is high school, so you can try to go and make it in the even more corrupted world, only to be denied a diploma, cause your friends and family cheered for you and were proud our you? That is disgustingly wrong.

In Galesburg, the issue has taken on added controversy with accusations that the students were targeted because of their race: four are black and one is Hispanic. Parents say cheers also erupted for white students, and none of them was denied a diploma.

That is also a really fascinating aspect of this story. Wither the race card was involved or not, what the school board did was disgusting. However if there was specific targeting involved as well, then it's even more disgraceful.

I hope people will consider writing a letter or calling and expressing their views, till these kids get their diploma's back. These tactics are wrong and uncalled for.

If this policy is really meant to restore the dignity of the ceremony, then fine the kids, or the parents, to take away a diploma that these kids worked so hard for, is unspeakable.


1135 W Fremont St
Galesburg, IL 61401
Phone Number: (309) 343-4146

I don't think it's hard to believe that this was independent of race. It's possible that these students had parents who acted inappropriately.

But it doesn't matter, I don't like the idea that a student can be denied a diploma as a result. While it's premature to blame this squarely on racism, it's safe to say that the system isn't working properly.