A police report following the incident that took place during a graduation ceremony at Baraboo High School revealed the motive behind Matthew Eddy, a white man, disrupting the event by forcefully preventing the Black superintendent, Dr. Rainey Briggs, from shaking hands with his daughter on May 31.
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Video footage of the incident went viral on social media, sparking speculation about Eddy’s motives and users condemning the act as racially motivated. Eddy faced charges of disorderly conduct after the incident, and reports revealed that he justified his behavior by claiming previous unfavorable interactions between Dr. Briggs and his daughter, which allegedly negatively affected her academic experiences.
However, the Daily Beast reported that the Baraboo Police Department confirmed no evidence of biased motivation behind Eddy’s actions. Dr. Briggs said he felt unsafe and changed his work routine due to the anxiety caused by the incident. He also plans to file a restraining order against Eddy. Additionally, he said before the incident, he didn’t know who Eddy was and noted that his daughter was expelled from the school at one point but didn’t directly speak to parents regarding suspensions.
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The Baraboo School Board issued a statement condemning Eddy’s actions and emphasizing the need for community action against similar behavior. “No employee of the School District of Baraboo should fear for their physical safety when fulfilling their job duties or at any other time. That this adult felt emboldened to behave in this way in front of hundreds of students and other adults should deeply trouble us all; this type of behavior will not be tolerated,” the statement reads.
“The School District of Baraboo Board of Education condemns such actions and asks the community to take a stand and speak out against this type of behavior that threatens the fabric of our democracy.”
