Is the Philly principal being the Fun Police or purposely embarrassing graduates?
My mixed opinions on etiquette rules for graduation ceremony walks
Update on June 22: At another school, this other incident with a “today, it’s going to be all about me” and a mic drop happened. And once again, I’m right back to understanding why my principal warned us not to show out at graduation. This is just NOT the move. Ever. Graduation Day is about the entire group of graduates, not one person wanting 15 minutes. If the problem really was black students not being given their moment to say their full name and major, which is odd and I’ve never seen this at any graduation, the end of her protest makes zero sense.
Update: I wrote this post before I saw the video of the girl blowing a kiss and waving. While I still agree that dancing across stage was a bit much, this girl definitely didn’t do enough to warrant not getting her diploma. I’m reevaluating this ENTIRE post now because this looks like a power trip, and the comment section ripping into how black kids need some “type of social cohesion” are rubbing me wrong. I don’t know what the principal’s stance is, but a lot of closeted racists (under anonymous accounts) are FAR too happy about this.
Recommended Read: “Should graduation celebrating be banned? ~ The Philadelphia High School for Girls versus my 8th grade graduation”
I hadn’t thought about my elementary school graduation in years. But when journalist Marc Lamont Hill tweeted about how his blood would’ve been boiling if his child had the same experience as 17-year-old Hafsah Abdur-Rahman, my own principal came to mind. Although she had a similar rule, hers seemed far more rational than what this lady did.
“She (the principal) stole that moment from me,” Abdur-Rahman told ABC News. “I will never get that again.”
In Rahman’s case, the graduate did a dance called “the Griddy” across the stage, knowing full well that the principal “warned students their families could not cheer or clap when they walked on stage.” The principal refused to give her a diploma and turned her away. (Three other girls were also turned away, reports ABC.)
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And I’m left seeing both sides. While I had every reason to celebrate during my own graduations (I graduated Cum Laude in undergrad), along with any other student in elementary school, high school and undergrad, I just didn’t think it was necessary to show out. I don’t know this girl or the school staff, but a lot of my reason for not wanting to do anything extra in elementary school was because I really liked my principal. I did not want to leave on a bad note with her or spoil my family’s memory of my graduation. (I didn’t expect the “allergy” moment, which became the highlight for me.)
But I also didn’t have to survive a worldwide pandemic, virtual learning courses, or consider not being able to go to school for one or two years because the entire country (pro-vaxxers anyway) were in panic mode. It just feels like Generation A should be given a little bit of grace for surviving 2020 to 2023. I didn’t have that level of stress on my back while still trying to get through the usual social worries, grades and puberty. I understand where the graduate is coming from, but I also understand where the principal is coming from. I can’t say either is wrong or right. What I can say is following instructions would’ve made this conflict nonexistent for years to come.
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