Students STILL denied diplomas, Principal wants apology and cheering culprits tracked down

GALESBURG, Ill. (AP) -- Five students denied diplomas after cheers erupted when their names were called at a high school graduation emerged empty-handed Tuesday from a meeting with school administrators.

The students and their families met briefly with Galesburg High School officials at an administration building, but they were again denied the diplomas because no one apologized to school officials for the cheers at the May 27 ceremony.

...The students denied the diplomas say school officials wanted them to track down the cheering culprits. They say that is impossible, because they don't know who might have cheered in the crowd of about 2,000 people.

This from WAVE TV.

Photo: From the NY Times, Kent Kriegshauser/The Register Mail, via Associated Press
(Gene Denisar, the schools superintendent in Galesburg, Ill., left, with Andrew Thomas Johnson, a senior, at graduation ceremonies in May.)

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And this Op-Ed from the Glasgow Daily Times.

Graduation is supposed to be a celebratory time that acknowledges all the hard work students put into their four years of high school.It is supposed to be a joyous occasion, marking the end of one journey and the start of another.

Five graduates from a high school in Galesburg, Ill., probably have a different take on the whole graduation experience.

...who is to say that maybe the perpetrators were not even associated with the students and instead someone who wanted to cause a little trouble because they were aware of the consequences?

The school said the five students can still receive their diplomas if they complete eight hours of public service work.

Gee, that’s fair!