Graduation guests fined for cheering - Cincinnati News, FOX19-WXIX TV

Some of the guests who attended a high school graduation ceremony in South Carolina were given tickets for cheering.

Police say these disruptions spoiled the event at Byrnes High School, and citations were in order.

"As a district and student body, we want the graduation ceremony to be very dignified, very formal," said Bobby Bentley with the Spartanburg School District.

The audience was asked to hold all applause until the end of the ceremony. Guests were warned that if they are disruptive, they would be ticketed for public disorderly conduct by the Duncan Police Department and escorted out the ceremony.

That's what happened to 14 people during graduation.

"I can't hear the next name. It's creating a disruptive environment, and we do not want that to happen," said Bentley.

The program for the ceremony even spelled out the request to hold all applause, written on behalf of the seniors who were graduating.

School officials say they have had this policy in place for more than five years. They say this is more tickets than they've ever had to hand out during a graduation.

"It's a great time for everyone involved and that's why we want it to be a very formal ceremony," said Bentley.

Those who were ticketed had to pay a $262 fine.