June 5th 2024.
In a recent incident at a Wisconsin high school, a white father has been charged with disorderly conduct after physically intervening to prevent his daughter from shaking hands with the school's Black superintendent during the graduation ceremony. The father's identity has been withheld to protect his daughter, but he caused quite a stir when he stormed the stage as she went up to receive her diploma.
According to footage captured on video, the father cut off his daughter just as she was about to shake hands with Superintendent Rainey Briggs. Briggs, who is the only Black faculty member on the stage, was then grabbed by the father and pushed away. In the video, the father can be heard saying, "That's my daughter," to which Briggs responds, "You better get up off me, man. Get away from me, bro." It was a chaotic and tense moment, to say the least.
Thankfully, school staff immediately intervened, along with three Baraboo police officers and a school resource officer, and escorted the father off the stage and out of the building. In the video, the father can be heard saying, "I don't want her touching him," as he is being escorted away. It's worth noting that there were no issues when the student shook hands with other faculty members, such as the school's principal and board members, but it was when she approached Briggs that the father became agitated.
In response to the incident, the school district's spokesperson, Hailey Wagner, stated that a disorderly conduct charge has been sent to the Sauk County District Attorney's Office. Wagner also emphasized that the safety and well-being of their students, staff, and community members is of the utmost importance to the school.
According to reports, there have been previous complaints about Briggs and other administrators from both the school board and residents in the community. In fact, there have been calls for the school board president, Kevin Vodak, to be recalled before his possible re-election next spring. This incident has only added fuel to the fire and has sparked discussions about racism and bigotry in the community.
It's a sad reality that incidents like this still occur in our society. It's disheartening to see a father's actions overshadow what should have been a joyous and memorable moment for his daughter. It's also a reminder that we still have a long way to go in terms of addressing issues of racism and discrimination. As actor Wendell Pierce stated after being rejected for housing, "We have to be vigilant in our pursuit of equality and justice for all."
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