On May 31, Baraboo High School in Baraboo, Wisconsin, held its graduation ceremony for the class of 2024. Several staff members, including the school superintendent, were on stage shaking hands with the new graduates when they walked across the stage.
In the middle of the ceremony, a 49-year-old man climbed on stage before his daughter shook hands with the superintendent. He reportedly pushed him away from the girl and said the man “was not going to touch [his] ‘F**king’ child.” The superintendent reportedly told the man to get away from him, and the audience reacted unfavorably to the unexpected event.
When the alleged victim spoke to the police, he told them he didn’t know who was pushing him, and he was not immediately aware of what was going on. The superintendent said he did not remember having any negative interactions with the man or his daughter, so he was unsure why the situation occurred. When the story broke on social media, many people believed it was an act of racism.
It was reported that the man said he did not like the superintendent, and that they had problems with each other in the past.
On June 6, the man was charged with misdemeanor disorderly conduct for the mid-ceremony incident. He is scheduled to appear at a June 14 hearing on the matter. The superintendent filed a petition for a restraining order against the man, and he was granted a temporary order that will expire on the day of the hearing, which is scheduled for June 15.
If you or someone you love is suspected of a criminal offense, contact Orange County criminal defense lawyer Staycie R. Sena at (949) 477-8088 for a consultation now.