Cincinnati grad without diploma hires attorney

CINCINNATI - The Ohio student who was denied his diploma because his family cheered excessively at Mount Healthy High School commencement is trying to resolve the hold-up without fulfilling the school district’s disciplinary measure.

Anthony Cornist has rejected Mt. Healthy City School District’s requirement that he complete 20 hours of community service to obtain his diploma, according to a letter sent Wednesday from attorney Erik W. Laursen to school superintendent Lori Handler.

Laursen, who works for the John E. Stillpass law firm, said in the letter that he wanted to set up a meeting with Handler to reach an “amicable solution” instead of filing a lawsuit.

The school district insists that Cornist’s parents knew of the community service requirement for excessive cheering during the graduation ceremony.

Handler previously said that his parents signed a document stating that they understood the consequences of improper conduct at commencement.

Laursen and the Cornist family disagree with Handler’s reasoning and instead say that Mt. Healthy school bylaws prohibit disciplinary action against a pending graduate who has completed all requirements for graduation. The letter cited section 5460 of the Graduation Requirements section of the Bylaws & Policies of the Mt. Healthy School Distric t, which states, "[n]o student who has completed the requirements for graduation shall be denied a diploma as a disciplinary measure."

Watch part of the Mt. Healthy High School graduation ceremony in the video player at the top-left of the page.