“This can’t be real!”: Parent goes to child’s graduation. But they are only allowed 1 clap per child

This elementary school graduation is giving dictatorship, says a commenter. Others insist there's a good reason behind the rules.

Graduations are usually a joyful affair. They are a time for caps and gowns, proud families in their Sunday best, and rigorous cheering.

But the vibes were completely off at this graduation for young students.

The ceremony was, quite frankly, weird. But just because it's weird doesn't mean it should stop. Here's why.

What's up with the one-clap rule?

In a viral video with more than 4.3 million views, mom Angelica Pueblas (@angelicapueblas1) shared the bizarre rule her kid's school had for their graduation ceremony.

The video features what appears to be a small elementary school class of about 30 kids (possibly kindergarten partners) sitting on the stage of the school auditorium.

While each kid's name is called, there isn't the usual round of applause or hooting and hollering you might expect.

Instead, the crowd claps once in unison after each child's name.

"We are only allowed to clap one time per child," she explained in the text overlay of the video.

We're sure several parents want to go all in on the claps and cheers as they see their babies walking the stage, but it seems a school administrator (with a lot of sway over the parents) explicitly told them this is not allowed.

Why can't parents clap for their kids?

While the one-note, coordinated claps end up creating an eerie environment for some, commenters pointed out several good reasons why this rule might exist and even be a good thing.

• Leveling the playing field: Not every student has a loved one in the audience. This could lead to skewed celebration for each child, with some getting loud hoots and hollers and others only receiving a smattering of polite applause, leading to a child feeling overlooked compared to their peers. The singular clap ensures each student is celebrated equally without drawing attention to who does or doesn't have support in the crowd.
• Sensory issues: For students and guests with sensory sensitivities, loud and unpredictable noises can be overwhelming or even distressing. A quieter, more controlled atmosphere helped make the event more accessible to everyone in attendance.
• Time management: A commenter noted that clap restrictions keep ceremonies efficient. They wrote, "Dude, I live in Canada, it’s the same here, they just do it bc clapping takes long."

Did any parents fight back?

Pueblas tried to defy the rule but had a lukewarm reception while leading the charge.

"At first I started [to] clap more than once to show we have the power, but nobody followed suit," Pueblas said in a follow-up video.

Commenters react

"WTH why am I laughing so hard… that’s not cool I would have definitely been that woooo parent," a top comment read.

"Surely it's better to say just wait until the end and then do a big clap for everyone. This is just weird and annoying," another suggested.

"Rationing claps is insane," a third commenter said.

@angelicapueblas1 What the helly #fyp ♬ original sound - angelicapueblas1

The Daily Dot reached out to Pueblas for comment via TikTok direct message and comment

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