Should Screaming Be Allowed at Graduation?

All across Chatham, students, families and educators are getting ready for the graduation ceremony Thursday.

But no doubt at least some are dreading these ceremonies. Why? Because while graduation ceremonies around the country used to be highly structured classy affair, many have disintegrated into hours of clapping, whistling and, mostly, screaming.

Screaming has gotten so out of hand that at least some schools have had to put the kibosh on all the noise.

Indeed, recently, a South Carolina woman said police escorted her out of her daughter's graduation for cheering and then charged her with disorderly conduct.

According to graduation etiquette websites—and there are several—you should hold your applause until every graduate's name has been called.

You should also turn off your cell phone and stay until every graduate's name has been read out. Yet despite the warnings given at every ceremony, there is always someone who thinks the words "Turn off your cell phone" don't apply to them.

In general, Chatham has not had a problem with excessive applause, and the announcers wait until after each student's applause has died down before calling the next name. But proper etiquette still says applause should wait until after all names are called.

The 2012 graduation ceremony will be at 6:30 p.m. Thursday at Chatham High.

What do you think? Should the noise level at graduation be contained in some way? Let us know in the comments section below.