The traditional pomp and circumstance turned tense and uncomfortable at Bonny Eagle High School's graduation Friday evening, according to parents who want a review of commencement policies.

Some students flouted the rules, including by bouncing a giant inflatable rubber duck in the air. Then school administrators cracked down, kicking one student out and withholding a diploma from another. Ultimately, some audience members joined the battle of wills by booing and shouting at administrators, several parents said Monday.

The breakdown in decorum was the talk of graduation parties and gatherings over the weekend, as well as the subject of angry e-mails Monday to the Board of Directors of School Administrative District 6.

"It escalated to the point that there was so much bad feeling at the end that it totally overshadowed these kids' achievements," said Meg Hastings, whose parents and in-laws were also on hand to watch her son graduate. "I was amazed at how quickly it degenerated into this fiasco."

Hastings and some other parents said Superintendent Suzanne Lukas made matters worse by reacting to the bad manners of a few overly exuberant seniors.

"I think it was blown out of proportion," said Mary Weyer, the mother of a graduate. "I just felt it was so poorly handled."

Lukas, who presided over the commencement inside the Cumberland County Civic Center in Portland, would not discuss specific students or disciplinary action. She said she simply enforced the rules that each student was expected to read and sign beforehand.

"If a student doesn't adhere to the expectations, then the consequences are clearly spelled out," she said Monday.

"Things like this happen at graduation all the time. All schools try to establish a certain level of decorum."

Lukas addressed the matter at Monday's school board meeting, recommending that board members consider holding a workshop with parents "to review our expectations for graduation ceremonies."

Lukas acknowledged that not everyone in the school community believes graduation should be a solemn ceremony.

"Four years ago we had some issues with silly string and beach balls," said Lukas.

A committee was formed to study the matter, and "for the past three years, we've had outstanding graduations," Lukas said. "However, this year we had a breach of our expectations."

She suggested that a change of venue – to Portland's Merrill Auditorium – might serve to improve the graduation atmosphere.

No one from the public addressed the school board Monday night about Friday's graduation.

The class of 2009 was made up of 282 students from the Bonny Eagle district, which comprises Standish, Buxton, Hollis, Limington and Frye Island. Lukas said any student who didn't receive a diploma at commencement, for whatever reason, was to get it afterward.

She disagreed that the graduates' big day was spoiled. "We actually had a very nice graduation," Lukas said.

The ceremony did have some highlights, according to parents, including recognition of the highest achievers and a spontaneous standing ovation by students for a classmate entering the military.

One mother said she didn't want those things to be overshadowed further by focusing more attention on the breakdown, but others want a policy review by the school board and have even complained to Maine's education commissioner.

The ceremony grew tense after students bounced the blow-up duckling over their heads during a faculty member's speech, prompting laughter from audience members, according to parents. The high school's resource of

ficer, a uniformed Cumberland County sheriff's deputy, then escorted one boy out of the auditorium. Parents said some in the audience yelled, "Let him graduate!"

Beach balls followed in the crowd, despite a stern warning...