Matthew Eddy, the father of a graduating Baraboo High School student, who disrupted her graduation ceremony on May 31 by rushing the stage and pushing Superintendent Rainey Briggs, has been charged with “disorderly conduct.”
Eddy was cited for disorderly conduct and banned from district properties. Briggs also obtained a temporary restraining order against Eddy, citing fear for his safety due to the incident and previous threats he has received as superintendent.
Matthew Eddy, 49, was caught on camera shoving aside Baraboo High School superintendent Rainey Briggs at his daughter’s high school graduation ceremony in late May while saying, “That’s my daughter,” and “I don’t want her touching him”.
Eddy allegedly did it because he and his child have “had issues” with the administrator and “dislike him,” according to reports.
Matthew Eddy grabbed Rainey Briggs by the arm and pushed him out of the away as his daughter was about to shake his hand at her graduation ceremony.
He was arrested for disorderly conduct. pic.twitter.com/tx90K4WGEC— Lorraine King (@lorrainemking) June 6, 2024
Eddy told police he and his daughter “have had past issues with Rainey and dislike him,” according to the report, before saying he “wanted to prevent Rainey from having the satisfaction of shaking” his daughter’s hand.
The police report suggested that Eddy had “pre-planned” the incident based on what he told cops shortly after. Eddy expressed regret for the incident’s potential impact on his daughter but not for his actions themselves.
Briggs denied knowing who Eddy was at all, saying that he only recalled one incident where his daughter was disciplined and that he “has no idea why [Eddy] reacted the way he did”.
Briggs detailed the bizarre encounter in his petition to the Dane County Court, describing how Eddy “approached the stage quickly and put both of his hands on me to push me out of the way stating ‘You are not going to touch my f–king daughter,’” until he was escorted out of the building by other school administrators and off-duty police officers present.
The incident remains under investigation, with some speculating that it may have been racially motivated due to Eddy being white and Briggs being the only black individual on stage.
The school has faced racial controversies in the past, including a 2018 prom photoshoot where seniors gave the Nazi salute and displayed white power-associated signs.
However, the Baraboo School District condemned Eddy’s actions, stating they do not condone “threatening, intimidating, or physically harming behaviors against anyone in our School District community.”
Eddy faces up to $1,000 in fines and 90 days in jail if convicted.
