Wisconsin HS Graduation Interrupted By Bigoted Father

[Webster]

Father of Baraboo High School graduate blocks superintendent from shaking daughter's hand

The man ran onto the stage just after his daughter had been handed her diploma and began working her way down a line of school officials shaking hands.

wiscnews.com

The father of a Baraboo High School graduate forcibly pulled the district superintendent away from his daughter as she crossed the stage to receive a congratulatory handshake during the school’s graduation ceremony Friday.

The man, who is not being named to protect his daughter’s identity, ran onto the stage just after the girl had been handed her diploma and began working her way down a line of school officials shaking hands.

Before she could get to district Superintendent Rainey Briggs, the man, wearing a white polo shirt and baseball cap, grabbed Briggs by his right arm and pushed him away. “That’s my daughter,” the man can be heard saying in video of the ceremony by TV43 Baraboo.

Briggs can be heard telling the man, “You better get up off me man. Get away from me bro” as staff working the graduation and three Baraboo police officers including the school resource officer intervened. At one point, a voice can be heard saying, “I don’t want her touching him.”

Police escorted the man out of the school following the incident.

School Board President Kevin Vodak, board members Gwynne Peterson, Katie Kalish and Amy DeLong, and Baraboo High School Principal Steve Considine shared the stage with Briggs. The man did not interact with any of them but only confronted Briggs.

In a statement, district spokesperson Hailey Wagner said a disorderly conduct charge for the man was referred to the Sauk County District Attorney’s Office. “We would like to emphasize that the safety and well-being of our students, staff, and community members is a top priority,” the statement said.

Friday’s graduation ceremony came during a particularly fraught time in the district. A large group of residents, including a former district teacher who worked in the district prior to Briggs’ tenure, have voiced numerous complaints against Briggs, other administrators and the School Board.

 

[MrDawn]

Horrible. He had no right. As a parent myself I always stay out of my daughter's school business. There's no room to involve our petty personal bs. I support, I observe, but I don't interfere when it comes to her teachers, her principle, school events, cheerleading and football games. It's about them, not us. We had our time. Now it's their time.

 

[Reddington]

The look on the daughter's face said it all. Disappointed, but not surprised. I hope she disowns his stupid ass.