Fort Mill makes national headlines

These people were rude and inconsiderate. It's unfortunate the the national news gave the impression that all SC people are this way. I don't think they should have been arrested. Being lead out and fined should be enough. I guess we need to take into consideration that the ones who yelled out were so happy to see their child graduate, since mom and dad can't read it was a great accomplishment.

I attended Clover's graduation ceremonies to see my daughter graduate. It was a very dignified and well organized event without one incident taking place. I am very impressed with our community's leadership, class and support which has made this past year a success at Clover High School. It was very unfortunate to hear about the incidents that took place at Fort Mill's and Northwestern's graduation ceremonies. Everyone in attendance should have been well aware of the consequences by not following the rules. Those people who chose not to follow the rules should be held responsible. I know that it can be distracting and annoying to hear someone screaming and yelling during the ceremonies, but it can also be distracting witnessing a non-resisting person being led away by law enforcement in handcuffs during the ceremonies. I feel that better enforcement procedures could have taken place without causing further distraction. In the future, the proper procedure for officers should be to ask the person to come with them to be escorted away from the premises. Restraint should only be used if resistance takes place. I only hope that this year's events could be a learning tool for both York County Schools and York County Law Enforcement Officials. One final note, congratulations to all of the 2008 York County High School graduates and to their families.

As a tax payer, I find this to be a total misuse of law enforcement and judicial resources. Exactly how much is it going to cost us to process these "offenders"? Let's use $5,000 each? That's about $35,000 for seven, it's not cheap; the police, paperwork, jail time, going to court. In my opinion this money should be spent in making our towns safer. Next time we don't have money for a police officer, think about this waste of money.

Arresting people at a graduation ceremony like this is ridiculous. Whatever happened to a verbal reminder during the ceremony to be quiet. You can bet there were small children attending the event that were disruptive as well. Nothing worse than a loud toddler or a crying baby. Are we going to start arresting parents for disorderly conduct?

South Carolina School Districts need to step up and get more students graduating. Graduation rates are extremely low for SC. We better get more friends and family cheering at graduations and get kids through school.

You are warned by the announcer, and by the written program, to be silent as the names are read, and what the consequences will be. There is ample opportunity to applaud after all the names are read. It is really that simple.

I didn't read or hear anything about the fact that there were arrests last year and, I think, the year before. Also missing in the story is context. Attending the ceremonies at Winthrop, how many schools with how many parents were able to respect the rules out of consideration for others? Thousands, I would guess, against six idiots.

Rush Limbaugh opened his radio program with the story yesterday. He was being a jack-ass about it, I suppose because it was a chance for him to mindlessly rip public education. But he accidentally made a good point, as he facetiously wondered what we would do about noisy parents at a pep rally. Graduation IS NOT a pep rally, dummy. That is the point! Celebrate loud and long, wherever you like, after the ceremony. But keep in mind that if it gets out of hand, you can be arrested for that as well. Get it?

High School graduation is about the achievement of three parties: the school, the parents and, most importantly, the child. Teachers see it every year, parents often experience it with other family members, but it is an extra special occasion for the students because, for them, it only happens once in a lifetime. This coming of age event is a huge part of our culture and it should be a dignified, mature ceremony.

One suggestion, though, would be to remove the disrespectful and ask them to leave the premises. Arrest them only if they resist.

You could do what I did and go to Quaker school. Our graduation was a "silent meeting."