Family Forced to pay $500 fine for cheering teen at Mississippi high school graduation

A Mississippi family was kicked out of a high school graduation ceremony and charged with disturbing the peace after they cheered for a graduating senior.

Superintendent Jay Foster asked audience members to hold their cheers and applause until all the graduates’ names were called, but one family said they were unable to contain their excitement, reported WREG-TV.

Ursula Miller said she called out the first name of her niece, Lanarcia Walker, as she crossed the stage to receive her diploma from Senatobia High School.

The teen’s father, Henry Walker, shouted, “You did it, baby,” and waved a towel, drawing laughs from the crowd.

That’s when school officials asked the girl’s parents and two other relatives to leave the ceremony.

About a week later, they were served with court papers after the superintendent filed disturbing the peace charges against them. “It’s crazy,” Henry Walker said. “The fact that I might have to bond out of jail, pay court costs or a $500 fine for expressing my love – it’s ridiculous man. It’s ridiculous.”

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Mom Graduates in Son's Place After Fatal Post-Prom Crash

Via NBC Washington:

In her late son’s cap and gown, Katherine Jackson sat among graduating students at Thornton Fractional North High School Wednesday.

“[My son] knows his mom never walked the stage,” she said. “I’m going to be his legs and he’s going to be my wings and we’re going to go up there and get our diploma.”

Jackson’s son, Aaron Dunigan, was one of two people killed in a south suburban Chicago car crash while on his way home from prom over the weekend. The 18-year-old football quarterback died when the car he was riding in, which was driven by his friend, crossed a median and crashed into another car.

The crash also killed the driver of the other vehicle, 56-year-old Metra employee Juan Rivera, who was on his way to work at the time.

David Peden, who was driving the vehicle Dunigan and a classmate were riding in, was later charged with DUI causing death & reckless him iced with a motor vehicle.  

The third teen in Peden’s vehicle, Mike Crowter, was badly injured in the crash.

The three classmates were scheduled to graduate Wednesday and were returning from prom at the time of the crash.

Crowter was able to attend the school’s graduation ceremony, arriving in a wheel chair.

“It was prom night,” said classmate Keshawn Harrison. “Just wasn’t supposed to end like that.”

Dunigan, who was preparing to play football for Southern Illinois University in the fall, was honored and mourned at the ceremony by friends and family.

“This has to be a moment of celebration and learning,” the school’s superintendent Creg Williams said during the event. “Let their incident not be in vain. Be safe.”

“I just wish he was here so we’d all celebrate together,” said student Jasmine Bailey.

Dunigan’s mother took his place in the ceremony, walking up to the stage to accept her son’s diploma.

“All of this was divinely orchestrated by my son,” Jackson said. 

Nancy Gordeuk, Founder of TNT Academy Shocked Students & Parents With Racist Comments

From WSBTV:

Nancy Gordeuk, founder and principal of TNT Academy in Lilburn, was caught on video calling the audience “so rude” for not paying attention to a speech before she made a comment that sparked a walkout at the ceremony.

Cell phone video shows Gordeuk saying:

“You people are being so rude, to not listen to this speech. It was my fault that we missed it in the program. Look who’s leaving.. all the black people.”

The crowd roared in disbelief and most people stood up, including graduates, and left the building.

People sat in the pews of the church shocked.