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Resident asks board to ban air horns at graduations, board to update communications
Summary
A Rapid City resident urged the board to adopt a policy banning air horns at high school graduations, citing hearing loss and impacts on people with autism; trustees noted Monument's venue policy reportedly prohibits air horns and said principals could add that guidance to graduation communications.
At the Rapid City Area Schools Board of Education meeting a resident asked trustees to adopt a formal policy restricting air horns at high school graduations, saying the noise can harm people with hearing loss and create challenges for students with autism.
"I would just request that the school board take some affirmative action and develop a policy for air horns," Bob Howard said during the open forum, describing decades of concern dating to his children's graduations and citing his own tinnitus.
Howard said he contacted the Monument venue and was told the venue's policy prohibits air horns. Several trustees said that report gives "a little more oomph" to asking graduates and spectators to refrain from using noise makers. One trustee suggested principals add the prohibition to graduation communications to reinforce expectations with families and patrons.
Board members did not take a formal policy vote during the meeting. Instead they discussed short‑term communication steps: remind principals to include venue rules and health‑safety rationale in event guidance while staff explores possible formal policy language. Trustees noted enforcement at large public ceremonies is challenging but said clearer pre‑event messaging could reduce use of air horns.
What's next: Staff said they can add the Monument prohibition and a health‑based request to principals' graduation communications while the board considers whether a standalone policy is needed.
