By Sheila Qualls
ST. PAUL, Minn. – A parent of a Central High School graduate said she was not surprised a fight broke out after the graduation ceremony Monday night because the whole evening was characterized by “rowdy lawlessness.”
St. Paul police broke up an altercation involving hundreds of people at Central High’s commencement at Roy Wilkins Auditorium in St. Paul RiverCentre.
According to reports, the altercation involved 200 to 300 people. No injuries were reported, and no arrests were made. Officers from the St. Paul Police Department responded along with Ramsey County sheriff’s deputies, Metro Transit Police, and Minnesota State Patrol troopers.
A parent who attended the ceremony but did not witness the fighting said the whole evening was “rowdy” and she felt “unsafe.”
“We could see the police presence going into the ceremony and when we came out, there we saw at least 20 cop cars because the fighting must have happened by where we parked,” she said.
“It was absolutely nuts. There was nothing that said ‘academic’ or ‘we’re honoring your achievement.’ There was an element of people that were orderly, and then there was just an element of thuggishness, which the school system is encouraging,” she added.
According to reports, students showed up late and disrupted the ceremony.
“They were screaming and blowing horns throughout the night. A lot of people didn’t hear their kid’s name called because of the loudness of the crowd,” she said.
Central High School Principal Cherise Ayers wrote a letter to families apologizing and saying most of the people involved were not affiliated with Central High, according to the Pioneer Press.
The parent said what happened at graduation is indicative of the Central High School atmosphere.
“My son told me about how they had cursed out one teacher earlier in the evening who was asking them to be quiet in the halls,” she said. “These kids see absolutely no consequences. They are used to lawlessness. It’s encouraged by the district.”
“After Monday night’s ceremonies, the district, SPPD and Roy Wilkins put in place additional security measures for the remaining graduations this week. This includes additional officers and security staff as well as metal detectors,” Erica Wacker, director of communications for St. Paul Public Schools, wrote in an email to Alpha News.
“We are proud of our graduates and are working closely with our partners to ensure they are able to celebrate their accomplishment in a safe environment,” she said.
This article originally appeared at Alpha News and was reprinted with permission.
