In a footage of a graduation ceremony, the father of a Baraboo High School graduate named Matt Eddy prevented his daughter from shaking hands with the black superintendent
Baraboo High School has frequently struggled with antisemitism and prejudice. It hosted its graduation ceremony on Friday. According to media reports, the father Matt Eddy was taken into custody and charged with disorderly behaviour. Three policemen intervened to remove the man from the stage.
Matt Eddy refuses to let black Superintendent Rainey Briggs touch his daughter in Baraboo High School, video goes viral
The 49-year-old father, identified as Matt Eddy, leaped onto the stage, seized the superintendent, and dragged him to the rear of the platform.
Matt Eddy the degerate from Baraboo, WI. For whatever reason the media won’t post his name or mugshot. So i have a few here. This girl seems to love her father, so sad he didn’t love her enough to not let his racism ruin the most important day of her life to date. pic.twitter.com/fGlm61Z0U6
— Don’t Try Me Ho (@AH5091205178420) June 5, 2024
Matt Eddy is seen in the video forcibly pulling the district superintendent away from his daughter as she crossed the stage. Students typically shake hands with the principal and district officials after graduating from high school.
Superintendent Rainey Briggs said, “You better get up off me man. Get away from me bro.”
The father was captured on camera exclaiming, “That’s my daughter!” during the ceremony.
In the footage, the girl can be seen looking astonished and placing her hand to her forehead while wearing a blue gown and cap.
Matt Eddy the degerate from Baraboo, WI. For whatever reason the media won’t post his name or mugshot. So i have a few here. This girl seems to love her father, so sad he didn’t love her enough to not let his racism ruin the most important day of her life to date. pic.twitter.com/fGlm61Z0U6
— Don’t Try Me Ho (@AH5091205178420) June 5, 2024
Three Baraboo police officers leaped to the stage and removed Eddy out of the school. He was given a citation for disorderly conduct, which is against the city code, and the Sauk County District Attorney’s Office is considering filing additional charges against him.
According to social media comments, the father was upset with the district’s handling of bullying concerns involving his daughter.
Online detectives have located his workplace and are accusing Eddy of racism in posts on the business’s Facebook page.
Response from Baraboo High School
The schools said, “Our primary focus remains on celebrating the achievements of our graduates.”
They further added that they want to ensure that the significance of this milestone and the hard work of their students are not overshadowed by this unfortunate event.
They added that they are assisting law enforcement. The superintendent may or may not plan to press charges, but that has not been established.
Opponents have charged School Board President Kevin Vodak with favouritism towards the administration, underpaying teachers, failing to help them administratively, and wrongfully terminating Amanda Sabol, the school resource officer, and Abby Alt, the former administrator of Jack Young Middle School, among other people.