FYI.

This story is over 5 years old.

News

Police Charge Family for Cheering at High School Graduation

Four people were hit with an arrest warrant for disturbing the peace at their family member's graduation ceremony and could face a $500 fine if found guilty.
Photo via Flickr

Cheering for a high school student during her graduation ceremony has apparently landed a Mississippi family in trouble with the law, with police reportedly issuing arrest warrants to four ceremony attendees who participated in what was perceived as excessive celebrating.

Urusla Miller is one of the four family members who say they were handed a warrant for disturbing the peace two weeks after she attended a graduation assembly for her niece at Senatobia High School in Senatobia, Mississippi.

Advertisement

Miller told local news station WREG she simply yelled out her niece's name. The girl's brother, Henry Walker, also received a warrant, and according to him, he waved a towel while cheering on his sibling. They face charges that could land them a minimum fine of $500 each if found guilty.

"It's crazy," Walker told WREG. "The fact that I might have to bond out of jail, pay court costs … for expressing my love — it's ridiculous, man."

The school district superintendent Jay Foster told CNN that the punishment is not out of line. He explained that guests at the ceremony were asked to hold off on cheering or applauding until the program had come to a close.

"The goal was to allow all graduates to have the privilege of hearing their name called," Foster said.

Foster said he worked with police at the college campus where the ceremony was held to file the disturbing the peace charges.

Foster added that he has been working on revamping the school's graduation ceremony since assuming the role in Senatobia five years ago. He has implemented changes like mandating that ceremony attendees obtain hard tickets to the program, while also having police get involved if someone in the crowd misbehaves.

"We want everyone to see their own loved ones graduate and hear their names called," Foster said. "When people disrupt that, it takes away from the students and their families."

Photo via Flickr