Story Archive

Now Cheer This

When high-school football player Anthony Cornist crossed the stage to graduate, relatives, classmates, and even teachers cheered, his mother said. Marlon Styles Jr., the principal of Mt. Healthy High School in Cincinnati, Ohio, didn’t find this cheering, well, cheering. He refused to give Cornist the diploma he’d earned unless he, or others on his behalf, did 20 hours of community service as punishment for the noise. “I did nothing wrong except walk across the stage,” Cornist said. His mother says neither she nor he will perform the punishment. The school superintendent says three other families in the same position aren’t putting up a fuss. (AC/WCPO Cincinnati, AP) ...Before telling others to do community service, Mr. Styles, do some yourself: Quit.