"..being an asshole should not be an arrestable offense...."

Amy, how would you fix the problem? A problem complicated by the fact that it's primarily manifested by blacks, and is only rarely found within other ethnicities.

Roadgeek,

You can not "fix" the problem of emotional people (regardless of race/tribe/etc.) acting emotional in an emotional "once in a life time" event.

Just last week a nephew's HS graduation speech was drowned out by a crying baby. (Who TF brings a baby to a graduation ceremony (any ceremony for that matter).

The best you can hope for is asking for cheers to be brief so the next student can also get cheered.

Foster acted like a pompous fool. Money/time off is hard to come by for most folks and his actions will have no impact the next time around. He should be counseled/warned/let go as necessary.

Having attended a few graduations over the past weeks, I can tell you it's not simply cheering and calling a kid's name that is the problem. It's the constant, ongoing and extended shrieking, jumping up and down, buzzing, horn-blowing that then makes it impossible to hear the next graduate announced.

That is simply rude, and people stubbornly refuse to show consideration for other families. High school graduations have turned into nothing short of a circus, and it's pathetic.

Yes, it's rude, but the solution isn't putting people in cages.

Yes...because excessive hooting and hollering, as annoying as it can be is a prosecutable offense?

Think about that. Human beings have lost their humanity.

The next school board meeting ought to be a good one. I don't know if that superintendent is elected or appointed, but hey, ho, it's time for you to go.

Also, why just those four? I doubt they were the only ones making a ruckus. Can you say "selective prosecution"?

Bob in Texas,

The baby thing is very situational. For instance, the younger brother of my best friend graduated high school when their half sister was 6 months old, and their stepmother, as well as all other family that could make it into town, wanted to attend his HS graduation, so his step mom brought the baby with, and she did cry a bit (luckily his step mom took her outside while she was throwing a fit). It wasn't the end of the world, and at least the whole family could be there.

SPQR2008

As with the cheering/celebration a baby attending is not the problem. It's the inability to be considerate of others that is the problem.

There is no fix unfortunately as it is just human behavior. I'm not passive in nature so I have to tone down my reaction to rudeness. Rude people act rude 'cause they can and do not feel shame (see Clinton Foundation).

It's a shame that a joyful celebration has to be shared w/those that have no sense of humanity/kindness.

Acting like an asshole on a property under someone else's jurisdiction is a form of trespass.

The law has its uses; I recall when a leftist director and two colleagues went to a theater releasing their new film. They paid for tickets, took seats at the front, and -- with a vast sense of their own entitlement and empowerment -- stood up at the start of the showing and regaled the audience with political statements.

The theater's management had them arrested.

"The theater's management had them arrested."

Their own movie, you say? I call publicity stunt.

To be trespassed, you have to have been told to leave first.

If I invite you over to my house for dinner, and you swear at my kids, I can't just call the cops and have you arrested for trespassing. I first have to ask you to leave my property, and then I can have you arrested for trespassing if you refuse to comply. Furthermore, public institutions have even stricter legal requirements when it comes to booting people off the property due to first amendment issues.

Doesn't seem relevant to the story in question.

ok, so how should this problem of rude assholes be fixed?

Stop the ceremony,

make the kid being cheered for stand there until it stops

tell the crowd that if the kid wants his diploma he can stand there til the ceremony is over

Or better yet, the first time it happens warn the crowd, the second time it happens end the ceremony then and there and dismiss all the faculty

I didn't intend to give the impression I think arrest is appropriate for cheering.

If you read more of the information on this, you'll see the administrator has been working for a few years to bring more order to graduations and has taken progressively stronger steps to achieve this. He's sent out notices, made announcements at the beginning of the event, and had offenders removed. None of these has worked.

I like the ideas lujlp suggested. Holding the ceremony until the cacophony stops might bring a little shame to bear.

What kind of judge would sign that warrant?

Lujlp- yes, that is a good idea.

Better yet, tell the kid that if his family cannot control themselves he/she does NOT get the diploma. period.

But, I suspect that some lawyer would have a field day with any such actions.