Former FWCS educator and administrator Eugene White continues to make waves as superintendent of the Indianapolis school system:
Hold your applause or you'll be thrown off the property.That's the message Superintendent Eugene White is sending to the families of Indianapolis Public School graduates who will attend this year's commencement ceremonies.White sent letters to graduates earlier this month informing them and their families about the new policy forbidding cheering during the reading of the graduates' names. The goal is to restore decorum to the ceremonies and make certain that every name can be heard.White's letter reminds students that attending a graduation ceremony is a privilege, not a right. A spokeswoman for IPS said 30 school police officers will be on hand to enforce the rules."The graduation commencement is the completion of a 12-year program of study," White wrote in a list of guidelines. "It is a joyous time, a proud time and a formal time. It is not a party. It is not a pep rally."At least some IPS parents think getting dragged out for being excited about a family member's accomplishment is spoiling the fun.
This seems a little over the top -- why not a letter just urging people not to cheer at individual names, without the threat of ejection? Or maybe I'm reacting based on my own high school graduation, way back when there was a little more decorum at such occasions; maybe things are that out of control these days. I do suspect the conflicting attitudes haven't changed -- schools see graduation ceremonies as solemn occasions, parents see them as celebrations, and the kids mostly endure them as best they can.
