Hold the air horns, school board says

Save the air horns, cheers and screaming for after the graduation ceremony -- or you may not get to see it at all.

That was the general feeling from Bedford County Board of Education members at their meeting Thursday night after Superintendent Ed Gray announced commencement dates and times.

"We ask the community to give the ceremony the respect and dignity it deserves," she said. Neeley, who has a child graduating this year, said the air horns blared at last year's graduation were disruptive and rude.

"Please respect what these children have done," she said.

"It was very disturbing, the lack of respect by some in the audience," said member Glenn Forsee.

Gray said he has been to other graduations where the issue was addressed abruptly.

"If someone did that, the sheriff's deputies escorted them out," he said.

"Let's do that," said board member Amy Martin.

Some of the board members said they felt the move to Calsonic Arena for the graduation exercises may have contributed to the rise in disrespectful actions.

"There's almost a rodeo atmosphere," said one.

Board member Mary Jo Johnson said the graduates themselves need to pitch in, telling their guests to save the loud celebrating until afterward.

"The kids need to convey that to those who are coming," she said. "There's a time for that afterward. Every graduate is important, not just your own ... We don't have to have these ceremonies if they're going to turn into rodeos."

Gray stressed the importance of the graduation ceremony to acknowledge the 13 years of hard work the students have done, and said "It has to be a dignified ceremony."

Cascade graduates May 17 at Calsonic at 4 p.m. Shelbyville Central also graduates May 17 at Calsonic, but its exercises begin at 10 a.m. Community's graduation will be May 16 at 7 p.m. at Community School.