- A Philadelphia highschool denied a pupil her diploma after she did “The Griddy” at commencement.
- The scholar stated the principal advised her she couldn’t get a diploma as a result of she made the viewers snort.
- Her household confronted college directors after the ceremony however had been led away by police.
An 18-year-old pupil was “publicly humiliated” when her highschool principal refused to provide her a diploma at commencement as a result of she did a “lil shimmy” throughout the stage, her grandmother says.
Renee Hadiyah Reid posted a video of her granddaughter, Hafsah Abdur-Rahman, that reveals Abdur-Rahman doing the “The Griddy” on the stage earlier than continuing to simply accept her diploma.
The Griddy is a dance that originated as a soccer landing celebration.
Reid stated that oldsters and family members had been requested to not scream or have fun when their youngsters’s names had been introduced through the commencement ceremony. The video reveals Abdur-Rahman placing her finger in entrance of her mouth whereas taking a look at her household earlier than her identify is named.
“I understood the foundations as a result of I used to be saying ‘shh’ within the video. Don’t say nothing as a result of I need my diploma,” Abdur-Rahman advised WHYY, a public radio station in Philadelphia. “I knew and understood what we had been speculated to do.”
Abdur-Rahman advised WHYY that the principal advised her she couldn’t obtain her diploma as a result of she made the viewers snort.
“In the event that they thought that I should not do ‘The Griddy’ throughout the stage and do the Women’ Excessive traditions, no person ought to have been in a position to wave or blow kisses or do interval indicators as a result of I really feel like that is the identical factor. I really feel like that is unfair,” Abdur-Rahman stated.
Abdur-Rahman’s household confronted the college’s directors after the ceremony however had been led away by police, Reid stated. In line with Reid, when Abdur-Rahman’s household discovered her, they may inform she had been crying.
“I promise the letters they are going to be receiving within the subsequent few days will not be within the principal’s favor!!” Reid wrote. “As educators you’re NOT speculated to humiliate these youngsters.”
The Faculty District of Philadelphia stated in an announcement that it doesn’t condone the withholding of earned diplomas primarily based on relations cheering, and it is wanting into this matter to keep away from it taking place sooner or later, WHYY reported.
“I used to be so embarrassed. I could not even take pleasure in the remainder of the commencement,” Abdur-Rahman stated.
Philadelphia Excessive Faculty for Women Principal Lisa Mesi didn’t instantly return Insider’s request for touch upon Saturday.
