Mom Arrested at Graduation for Disorderly Cheering?
A mother who was supporting and cheering for her daughter at her graduation ceremony was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct.
Shannon Cooper was attending the ceremony in Florence, S.C., when she was escorted out of the Florence Civic Center after she had cheered for her daughter as she walked across the stage.
"Are ya'll serious? Are ya'll for real? I mean, that's what I'm thinking in my mind. I didn't say anything. I was just like OK, I can't fight the law. I can't argue with the police, but I'm like are you serious? I didn't do any more than the others did. Which I feel like no one should have went to jail," Cooper told WPDE.
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The school did notify parents that due to the numerous graduating classes using the civic center that they warned parents beforehand that if they cheered they would have police escort them out of the building.
School officials explained that they implemented this policy because they wanted everyone to be able to hear their child's name as they received their diploma.
"The school did try to communicate this information with the parent, so everyone would be able to hear the ceremony and hear their child's name get called," according to Pamela Little-McDaniel, spokeswoman for the Florence school district.
Cooper stated that she was escorted by police in front of her daughter and that it was the worst feeling she had ever felt on what was supposed to be one of the happiest.
"Humiliation. I don't even think humiliation could describe how I felt," explained Shannon. "I feel from just my feelings and then looking at my daughter how she felt … yes they said you'll be escorted out no problem. I'll be escorted out. I'll go nicely because I'm gonna cheer. It was hard work. I went through so much to get her to this point you know,"
Cooper was taken to a detention center where she posted a $225 bond after being charged with disorderly conduct.
