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Respect, courtesy and recognition

Mark A. Brown, Springfield, Va.

Thursday, May 27, 2010

On Sunday, May 23, my family and I attended the Emporia High graduation ceremony at William L. White Auditorium. It was a day we looked forward to as our son and the other graduates were introduced while walking across the stage to receive their diploma.

As we sat in the auditorium, the scene around us grew ever more distasteful. It was unfortunate that several folks decided it was more appropriate to blow horns and use disruptive behavior to celebrate their student as they walked across the stage. It simply detracted from the entire ceremony where some students’ names could not be heard due to the excessive noise. An announcement was made before the commencement ceremony and it was even written in the graduation program to refrain from such behavior. Unfortunately this simple request went unnoticed.

I thought about my younger days when I sat at my own graduation in the same auditorium. Each graduate was given a simple applause as we each crossed the stage. There was no horn blowing. It seems that good old fashioned values are quickly exiting today’s scene — especially respect and common courtesy. To be honest, people were more polite twenty or thirty years ago.

The graduates themselves were expected to act appropriately during the ceremony and other than a few beach balls making an appearance, they did just that. It was apparent that our graduates acted much more mature than some of the parents, relatives and friends who attended the ceremony.

I hope that as our graduates continue through life and become parents that they will give their future sons and daughters the respect, courtesy and recognition they deserve when they walk across the stage at their commencement and not partake in such loud and disruptive behavior.

Good Luck to the Class of 2010.

Mark A. Brown

Springfield, Va.

Comments

sail (anonymous) says...

I agree Matt, there has been a lapse of good taste at graduation. As long as there are no consequences for bad behavior better expect more of it in society.

May 27, 2010 at 11:13 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

admireed (anonymous) says...

Do other school district graduations have the same rude behavior? I have not been to a graduation for some time.

Edward McKernan

May 27, 2010 at 1:57 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

seriouslyfolks (anonymous) says...

"Well we got no choice
All the girls and boys
Makin all that noise
...............
No more pencils
No more books
No more teacher's dirty looks

Well we got no class
And we got no principles
And we got no innocence
We can't even think of a word that rhymes
...........
School's out for summer"

Alice Cooper

May 27, 2010 at 2:03 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

coif (anonymous) says...

My son graduated at that ceremony. I commited to his grand parents and aunts and uncles that some people have no class and seem to be proud of it.

May 27, 2010 at 2:14 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

eaglefan (anonymous) says...

We also had not attended a graduation for some time and found people to be very rude. Unfortunately, what we noticed was that when students of the hispanic culture were crossing the stage is when the horns were blaring. If they want to celebrate their child's graduation in this manner, it needs to be done at their private family celebration. There were very few other students that had horns blaring and annoying graduation goers. Also, don't try to say folks didn't know because the announcement not to use the air horns was made in both English and Spanish. They just chose to ignore it.

May 27, 2010 at 2:52 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

eldiablo (anonymous) says...

Eaglefan

I graduated not too long ago and heard air horns for plenty of white students. Your comment is stereotypical and unfair. Horns are obnoxious at such events... But for some families, it's just that big of an occasion. You can always tell who was expected to graduate by the lack of applause and noise.

May 27, 2010 at 3:15 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

vankamp (anonymous) says...

eldiablo
Big event or not, they were asked not to do that and they did. Simple respect. I want to hear my childs name announced just as bad as the noisy, rude relatives.

May 27, 2010 at 4:46 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

oh4theluvof (anonymous) says...

Mr. Brown,
We citizens of Emporia have been asked to quit being so negative about our fair community, as it drives away all the thousands of people and businesses who plan to move here until they read or hear our negativity. I would like to applaud your letter and second it for all school functions that families attend, but I can't. I would be driving away prospective newcomers. Please try your best to ignore anything about our town you may find offensive and learn to see only our positive (by hypnosis, if necessary). It's what we do here.
Thank you,
a brainwashed ........ er..... uh..... *delighted* Emporian

May 27, 2010 at 5:14 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

booker5m (anonymous) says...

Killing me Oh4 lol

May 27, 2010 at 5:20 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

concernedmom (anonymous) says...

My son also graduated at this ceremony and I was very frustrated and offended at the lack of respect shown and lack of decorum. With all the horns blaring it was impossible to hear the next student or two or three being announced. How unfair to them. They deserved to have their moment of recognition as well. We even had a hispanic couple sitting behind us that kept answering their cell phones and having loud conversations. An event that I had so looked forward to was turned into a very frustrating and maddening time. I was even hoping that the ceremony would be stopped until the audience could behave. It did not set an example for our kids to follow. I'm glad that there was enthusiasm and pride but couldnt it have been more appropriately shown? I appreciate Mr. Brown writing this letter as it echoes my and my entire family that attended sentiments. Its too bad that the idiots that continued to be disruptive couldnt have been removed from the ceremony. There was a group of them at the top on the east side that were having a great time acting completely inappropriate and disrespectful. Its a shame that a few should be allowed to mar a memory of a lifetime that should be nothing but positive one.

May 27, 2010 at 9:21 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

Steve_Corbin (anonymous) says...

The lack of common sense and respect apparently showcased at this ceremony ruins it for those that were brought up properly. Perhaps at next years graduation whoever is in charge will immediately stop the proceedings when a air horn is sounded and wait for the EPD to remove the offenders before resuming. The time for loud and boisterous partying is after the graduation ceremony, not during it.

May 28, 2010 at 6:21 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

spectator (anonymous) says...

Rude and inconsiderate is the only way to describe this. And it's apparent at the -Seasonal Celebration- or whatever it's called now as well. I'm all for the EPD or ESU LEOs escorting these anal retentives out asap: no warning, no second chance, immediate expulsion plain and simple. Bad enough to have to endure the auditorium's heat, humidity and lack of air movement without these idiots. Probably the same people, of any race, that feel compelled to share their LOUD thump thump or trashy lyric rap music with the rest of us. We have an ordnance prohibiting this decibel extreme music but it's not enforced.

May 28, 2010 at 7:54 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

methusla (anonymous) says...

Mr. Brown,
I also would like to commend and thank you for your letter/comment. However, the really sad thing about these, " Certain " groups of people is that they do not only carry on like this at " Special, supposed to be " Respectful to others and Courteous, public occassions, but also carry on like this at home and in their neighborhoods and in public places, businesses, etc., with the same disregard for courtesy and respect for others . And I as a longtime citizen and resident of Emporia, am sorry that you, your family and children did not receive the respect and courtesy you felt you deserved and should have been afforded, but for a few disrespectful, discourteous, uncouth, so called U.S.or Emporia citizens.

May 28, 2010 at 8:20 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

HenryVIII (anonymous) says...

I think some parents are just jealous that their kids aren't as popular as the ones that got all the applause and attention. Maybe you should have brought more friends and relatives to the ceremony if you wanted your kid to feel popular too.
It's a big deal; the kids deserve a hoot and holler. It shows them (and the whole room) how proud you are.
'enry

May 28, 2010 at 8:29 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

methusla (anonymous) says...

And to those who gripe and bitch about us forum posters, as being negative and hurting Emporia.
Well, all I can say is, all anyone has to do is visit Emporia, as apparently Mr. Brown did to attend a High School graduation and see first hand the negativity, lack of respect/courtesy that exists in Emporia.
Do you so called " progressive " people believe that such a display of lack of respect and courtesy for others at a public function, in businesses/public, also crimes committed by certain people, speaks louder volumes about Emporia than any Gazette Forum comment you persieve as being negative. " A picture is worth a thousand words. " And the picture Mr. Brown and others got, of Emporia, was not a pleasant one and I can guarantee that Mr. Brown was not the only one visiting from outside Emporia, who was attending this public function.

May 28, 2010 at 8:34 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

methusla (anonymous) says...

Akamai, enry,

Your two are the top class of Emporias', boobs and I don' t mean the two round female kind. I mean the " OAFISH " kind.

May 28, 2010 at 8:38 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

TexasGirl (anonymous) says...

I like Steve's idea. Maybe if they have some swift enforcement, they can put a rapid end to this disruptive behavior.

May 28, 2010 at 9:46 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

OutsiderJ (anonymous) says...

I know in some towns they do exactly what Steve Corbin was referring to. In one town you are even subject to a citation for disorderly conduct.

May 28, 2010 at 10:01 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

neighbor (anonymous) says...

I seem to recall that we were told our diplomas would be withheld if; you were under the influence or smelled of alcohol or marijuana(legal to drink beer at 18 back then), if there were any disruptions during the ceremony from the students or from their families in the audience, if you were dressed inappropriately under the gown, if you did a dance on stage or acted out, and if you threw your cap in the air at the end. This was EHS in the early 80's.

I seem to recall several classmates that were nearly naked under their robes, Many were so wasted they could barely stand up. I remember loud cheers and horns being sounded when a few graduates' names were called, the staff stopped the process until the noise waned before calling the next name. There were a couple of students do the Steve Martin happy feet dance after getting handed their diploma books(they withheld the actual diplomas until later). Most of us threw our caps in the air, shot off silly string and let out a roar. The idiot next to me threw her diploma instead of her cap then panicked when she couldn't find it.

EHS was about 90% white, 5% hispanic, 3% black, and 2% Asian back then. Some of you are showing your closet racism. I went to a graduation this spring where there was only one minority student graduating, guess what? The people who were sounding air horns and yelling loudly were white.

May 28, 2010 at 10:43 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

methusla (anonymous) says...

Times change and apparently so has the proper decorum, respect, consideration and courtesy for people and the laws .
And not for the better I might add.
When I graduated, some 50 odd years past. We were expected to show the proper decorum, respect, consideration and courtesy to our fellow classmates and their families etc., until after the ceremony was over/concluded and then the celebration could begin, within reason that is.
The auditorium was so quiet, during the ceremony, except for some whispers, you could have heard a pin drop, until the ceremony was over. And it was announced at the beginning of the ceremony and printed on the programs, that there was to be no clapping, shouting, cheering, whistling of any kind, until after the end of the ceremony. And in those days people respected those wishes and new what proper decorum was.

May 28, 2010 at noon ( permalink | suggest removal )

allintogether (anonymous) says...

I don't think it has anything to do with race. Its all about class and respect. Some people have class, some people don't. Some people understand the two way dynamic of respect and some don't. Those that have no class and can't show respect probably need to show their butts at a high school graduation. It will most likely be the extent of their academic experience. For the graduate and their cheering section.

I agree with Mr. Corbin. Light and dignified at the ceremony, save the ruckus for your party after.

May 28, 2010 at 12:16 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )