One of the tenets of good parenting is teaching children about consequences.
But what happens when kids see adults act inappropriately and not have to suffer a penalty for their negative actions?
Well, you get a situation similar to the one described in my fellow blogger Stephanie Romero’s post about her son’s recent high school graduation ceremony.
In her blog, Stephanie detailed the frustration she felt when several parents blatantly defied the principal’s plea to remain silent while the graduates’ names were being announced and diplomas were being handed out on stage.
From what I gather from reading Stephanie’s post, none of the parents, who turned into screaming lunatics when their child’s name was called, experienced negative consequences for disregarding the “please remain silent” rule.
Fortunately, the rule breaking parents Stephanie encountered at her son’s graduation don’t live in South Carolina because when you boldly resist following rules in the “Palmetto State” you go to jail.
Just ask Shannon Cooper.
The South Carolina mom made headlines last week when she was thrown into the slammer for allegedly cheering too loudly at her daughter’s high school graduation.
According to news reports, Cooper hooted and hollered at such ear-splitting decibel levels that police removed her from the graduation ceremony, charged her with disorderly conduct and placed her in a detention center.
“Are ya’ll serious? Are ya’ll for real? I mean, that’s what I’m thinking in my mind,” Cooper told WPDE News. “I didn’t say anything. I was just like OK, I can’t fight the law.”
Law enforcement officers told reporters they warned parents that screaming, yelling or horn blowing would get them booted from the graduation venue.
For her part, Cooper maintains that she was simply voicing her pride and didn’t act any rowdier than other parents when their children’s names were called during South Florence High School’s ceremony.
“Disorderly conduct? What’s the disorderly conduct?” Cooper told reporters. “How was I so disorderly you know any different from just a happy parent? I didn’t resist arrest, nothing.”
As for Cooper’s 18-year-old daughter, she says she is still in shock that her mother went to jail on what was supposed to be one of the happiest days of her life.
What do you make of the proud–albeit loud–Mama’s punishment? Do you think it was too severe or do you applaud the school for doling out consequences to rule breakers?
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