A joyous moment turned sour for Hafsah Abdur-Rahman, a graduate of The Philadelphia High School for Girls, as she was denied her diploma by the school’s principal. Here’s what happened.
The Moment of Celebration
Her excitement and joy were evident as Hafsah made her way across the stage at the graduation ceremony.
She danced with a bouquet in hand, exuding a sense of accomplishment and celebration, promoting laughter and cheers from the audience.
Things Took a Turn
However, when she reached out to claim her diploma, Principal Lisa Mesi appeared to refuse to give it to her and tossed the diploma into a basket.
Deep Embarrassment
Hafsah expressed deep embarrassment and disappointment, stating that she couldn’t enjoy the rest of the graduation after the incident.
Clear Warning
The principal had previously warned families about the no-cheering policy, but Hafsah believed she had adhered to the rules by signaling for silence.
Her Family Feels Unfairly Targeted
She and her family felt she was unfairly targeted since other girls had blown kisses and waved without consequence.
Supportive Silence
Hafsah’s family was present during the incident and chose to remain silent to avoid any disruption to her special moment.
They Are Frustrated
They expressed their frustration at what they saw as the penalization of Hafsah for the reactions of others in the crowd.
This Was Her Special Day
Renee Haniyah Reid, the student’s grandmother, emphasized the importance of this graduation as her granddaughter’s last walk before pursuing her entrepreneurial dreams.
She Revealed the Truth
In a surprising twist, Hafsah revealed that the assistant principal had even encouraged students to walk across the stage with style and flair to collect their degrees.
This contradiction left Hafsah feeling that the situation was unjust and biased.
The School Issued a Statement
The video which captured Hafsah’s dance and the principal’s dismissal went viral.
Following widespread criticism and public outcry, the School District of Philadelphia issued a statement expressing their disapproval of withholding earned diplomas based on family members’ celebratory actions.
Acknowledging Impact and Apologizing
They acknowledged the impact on the affected families and graduates and apologized for the incident, vowing to investigate further to prevent such occurrences in the future.
Non-Material Preclusion
The School board president Reginald Streater wrote, “We should not let non-material antiquated norms preclude moments of inclusive joy that often follow moments of achievement/recognition.”
An Abuse of Power
Several social media users expressed their thoughts on the incident.
One YouTube user wrote, “She is celebrating, and that’s her right to do. The principal should be fired.”
Another user commented, “What an abuse of power. This young woman was obviously exuberant about graduating. She didn’t deserve to have her diploma dropped into a basket on the floor of that graduation ceremony. This Principal Should Be Called Out.”
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The post Fun Police Alert! – She Was Denied Her Diploma Because of Her Celebratory Dancing first appeared on Wealthy Living.
Featured Image Credit: Shutterstock / Asier Romero. The people shown in the images are for illustrative purposes only, not the actual people featured in the story.
This post is based on Youtube but the names have been changed.