Interesting…The bishop of Lafayette, LA walked out of a Catholic high school graduation because the audience wouldn’t shut up.

Most high school graduations that I’ve been involved in constantly fight this problem – it’s not just cheering, it’s bullhorns, screaming, whistles, antics from the stage, and so on. It not only destroys decorum, it makes the thing take a whole lot longer…but apparently Bishop Jarrell had enough – the crowd wouldn’t stop, even after he asked them to…so he walked out.

And then he objected to a newspaper stating that he’d apologized. Nope – no apologies. Had to be done!

A story

Text of cover letter

Bishop Michael Jarrell regrets that the Advertiser’s front-page headline on Wednesday, May 24, 2006, said that he had apologized for walking out of the Teurlings’ Graduation last Monday night. The bishop issued no such apology. Under the circumstances, the bishop believes he did the right thing, saying, "Walking out during a graduation is not something I enjoyed, but it is something that needed to be done."

Text of statement from Bishop Michael Jarrell on Teurlings graduation

The issue is respect. Recently I attended the graduation ceremony of one of our Catholic high schools. During the presentation of diplomas, people in the audience began making various kinds of noises when the names of graduates were called. Four times they were asked not to engage in this behavior. When it continued I chose to leave the auditorium before the presentation of diplomas was completed.

The issue is respect. Many have accused me of being disrespectful because I walked out. Under ordinary circumstances they would be correct. My perspective is that the behavior of some in the audience was very disrespectful. I believe that the graduates, the school and I were all being disrespected. I wanted to make a statement that rude and disrespectful behavior was not acceptable. The graduation was being high jacked by a few, or more than a few, persons engaging in disrespectful behavior.

I have great respect for the graduates. They were perfect young ladies and gentlemen. They did all that was asked of them by the school. I believe that they wanted a dignified ceremony and one not interrupted by rude behavior by others. Thirty years ago it was the graduates who created disruptions. Today’s graduates are models of good behavior; the problem is in the audience. What I did was for the sake of the graduates in future years.

Some are saying that society has changed and that people’s expectations are different. They say nothing can be done, so everyone must go along. I believe that things have changed, but I do not believe that everyone has to go along. I believe that rude behavior can be confronted. I believe that the majority of parents and graduates want dignified graduations. If not, why have processions, caps and gowns? Why have formality on the stage and raucous behavior in the audience?