The "Dumbing Down" of Graduation Ceremonies

It's time for the annual graduations to begin. My two daughters recently attended their high school's graduation to celebrate with some of their friends who were marching. Talk about celebrating, they quickly reminded me from hearing their stories afterwards, how incredibly rowdy and crazy these ceremonies have become. It was three years ago that our family attended my son's high school graduation and I remember how shocked I was! We were all dressed to the nines. I wore a nice dress, heals and hose. My husband wore a coat and tie and the girls wore lovely dresses. A lot of people we saw at the ceremony were dressed that way too. However, I was taken aback by some of the outfits that were worn by attendees. I couldn't believe that there were people at the ceremony who wore jeans and t-shirts, even cut off shorts and flip flops. Really? I even saw parents of some of the graduates in jeans and shirts, dressed extremely casual. You know, I and many others believe that high school and college graduations are very special. Relatives and friends gather to see their loved ones celebrate an important accomplishment. And every person marching is wearing a lovely formal cap and gown. Some people have beautiful decorations on their gowns to celebrate a great deal of hard work and honors. Why can't people take the time to respect and to show honor to those that have worked so hard? It's a ceremony! DRESS UP! Why "dumb down" something that is supposed to honor scholastic intelligence?!

All of the definitions I've read for the word ceremony include the word -FORMAL!
Ceremony:
1. The FORMAL activities conducted on some solemn or important public or state occasion.
2. A FORMAL religious or sacred observance: A solemn rite
3. Any FORMAL act or observance
4. A gesture or act of politeness or civility

Need I say more?

And what's with all the screaming and rowdiness as graduates receive their diplomas? I am all for celebrating wonderful accomplishments but blowing really loud horns and screaming at the top of your lungs is over the top- ESPECIALLY when you have been asked not to behave like that by the school administrators who are running the ceremony! Clapping should be appropriate behavior and would even make the ceremony go faster without interruptions from the crowd.

I am not being a snob here! Parents, please set the example for your children and teach them appropriate behavior and dress for graduation ceremonies. And please, don't say that just because everyone else is dressing down and acting out, that it must be ok!

Here's to restoring formality and civility in our society today!!