The father of a Baraboo High School graduate blocked his daughter from shaking the hand of the Black superintendent as she graduated, video of the incident shows.

The school district, which has had repeated problems with racism and antisemitism, held its graduation Friday. The father was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct, Wisconsin News reported.

The father, who has been identified as 49-year-old Matt Eddy, jumped on stage, grabbed the superintendent and began dragging him to the back of the stage.

  • MidnightBanjo@lemmy.zip
    289·
    6 months ago

    I wish the Headline was more accurate.

    Reading the story, he wasn’t arrested for blocking a handshake, he started forcibly dragging the superintendent to the back of the stage

    • stoly@lemmy.world
      1016·
      6 months ago

      That’s also called assault. Even blocking the hand would have been assault.

      • geekworking@lemmy.world
        405·
        6 months ago

        It’s more likely battery than assault. Battery is just putting hands on. Assault generally needs higher threat level and/or more violent actions.

        • FuglyDuck@lemmy.worldEnglish
          30·
          6 months ago

          assault and battery are both vaguely termed legal definitions that depend on what state you’re in.

          in MN, there’s no legal definition for battery, with assault being defined with multiple levels ranging from ‘mere’ threats through “poked me on the arm” to beating the shit out of someone.

          In WI, where this happened, it seems they’re the opposite with the only mention of ‘assault’ be related to sexual assault. and battery being similar to MN’s assault charges. Though, I only took a cursory look through their laws.

        • ASeriesOfPoorChoices@lemmy.world
          1·
          6 months ago

          not “than”, but “and”.

          Assault is getting in the way.

          Battery is touching him.

          (though, as mentioned, laws vary by location, but generally speaking…)

        • MidnightBanjo@lemmy.zip
          2·
          6 months ago

          Oh agreed it’s still could be a crime, but the headline makes it sound like all he did was block a handshake, when really he did a lot more

        • Nurse_Robot@lemmy.world
          353·
          6 months ago

          I assume you’re speaking about how it’s absurd to assault the superintendent in this circumstance, but your wording is concerningly vague

        • ReluctantMuskrat@lemmy.world
          101·
          6 months ago

          If you did the same to a police officer you can be sure they’d charge you with assault, after taking you to the ground and pummeling you no doubt.