Baraboo dad falsely claims superintendent touched him first during graduation incident
BARABOO, Wis. (CBS 58) -- New video released shows Matthew Eddy's first interview with police after he rushed onto the Baraboo High School stage at his daughter's graduation. Eddy was seen trying to stop the Baraboo School District's superintendent from shaking his daughter's hand.
Moments after he stormed the stage, Eddy told an officer and district administrator why he did it.
“Didn’t want him to be able to shake her (expletive) hand cause he did not deserve it from her after all the (expletive) she went through in this district," said Eddy to both officials in the video. “I’m not cool with him. I’m not cool with him shaking my daughter’s hand.”
The 49-year-old was heard during the graduation ceremony saying he did not want Dr. Rainey Briggs shaking his daughter's hand. It's an incident that went viral on social media, with several allegations of the incident being fueled by racism.
“I don’t want her touching him," Eddy, a white man, says during the graduation ceremony after moving Briggs, a Black man, out of the way.
Eddy claims Briggs made the first move, telling the officer and administrator, “I didn’t touch him until he touched me. I didn’t come up to him, like knock him out, or push him down.”
Video from the graduation ceremony tells a different story. Eddy can be seen getting up on the stage and pushing Briggs out of the way, just as his daughter is walking across the stage.
“You better get up off me, get, get away from me, bro," Briggs can be heard telling Eddy.
Following the incident, the School Board of Baraboo released a statement, writing, "that this adult felt emboldened to behave in this way in front of hundreds of students and other adults, should deeply trouble us all; this type of behavior will not be tolerated."
Briggs filed a restraining order against Eddy. Eddy is charged with one count of disorderly conduct.
In the interview after the incident, Eddy does not mention race, but tells the officer and administrator his feelings were fueled by a previous incident involving the district and his daughter regarding expulsion. Eddy doesn't clarify what the incident entailed.
"He rolled his eyes when I brought up the fact that the same thing happened to her and it pissed me off," said Eddy, recalling a previous meeting with district administrators during the interview.
The administrator in the interview tells Eddy he's not aware of any allegations against Briggs. Eddy agrees.
“No, not him specifically," said Eddy.
Eddy is then told he cannot return to the school.
“Your next option will be out in cuffs," the officer in the video tells Eddy.