We are near the end of graduation season and so a fitting time for me to vent on another thing that bothers only me: excessive celebration at the ceremony.

I am sure you know what I mean.  The MC says, “Please hold your applause until all the graduates have been called.”  Then one family decides to shout a little, “Woot!” for their son.  Then the next adds a whistle and a “Way to go, Latandra!”  Before you know it the whole family is up and whistling and dancing.

The effect of all the hootin’ and hollarin’ is that the next name or two gets completely drowned out, overshadowed by some moron’s family who had a few to many PBRs before heading out.  It is those subsequent kids, who have worked and is just as deserving as the previous kid of being honored at the ceremony, that I think justice needs to be done.

Well, Mt Healthy High School near Cincinnati is doing something about it.  As part of the license to attend, all people with tickets agree to abide by the school’s policy  prohibiting disruptive behavior at the ceremony.  Violations thereof will result in a lien on the diploma until the graduate completes 20 hours of community service.  While graduates are indeed graduates and have all the rights vested therein, they will not have a diploma unless they complete the service.

Of course, there is a potential enforcement issue as in what constitutes  ”disruptive behavior.”  I think disruptive behavior is very difficult to define, but we all know it when we see it.

I think this policy is brilliant.  I hope it catches on.