Student Denied Diploma By Principal With Zero-Tolerance Policy On Dancing

The high school experience, graduation, all of it. What feels good, you want to celebrate? So when a principal denies a high school graduate's diploma because she danced, is that fair? Is that fair? She did "The Griddy", you familiar with that? "The Griddy", on stage at her commencement ceremony. And because of that, a graduating High School senior was denied her diploma. Let's watch her dancing. >> Hassa Abdur-Rahman. >> Applause [LAUGH] [CROSSTALK]. Sabria Scott, [MUSIC] Stephanie Huck, what i

s going >> So the principal right there was you saw waving her off, and then put the diploma back in the basket. You're not gonna get it, because you dared to "The Griddy'. Okay? Hafsa Abdur-Raham, student from Philadelphia High School for girls is calling for change after she was denied her high school diploma on stage, after working so hard for it. She said of the incident, she the principal stole that moment from me. I will never get that again. Abdur-Rahman cried tears of humiliation, instea

d of joy at her high school graduation on June 9, 17 year old from Philadelphia's only section, said the principal warned students, their families could not cheer or clap, when they walked on stage. "I understood the rules because I was saying 'shh' in the video. Do not say nothing because I wanted my diploma", said Abdur-Raham. "I knew and understood what we were supposed to do". In the video, she could be seen dancing across the stage, and then the crowd laughed. She said because they laughed,

the principal told her she could not receive her diploma. "If they thought that I shouldn't do "The Griddy' across the stage and do the girls high traditions, nobody should have been able to wave or blow kisses or do period signs because I feel like that's the same thing. I feel like that's unfair", WPVI in Philadelphia with the reporting here, Abdur-Raham said this moment wasn't just for her, but it was in honor of her sister, killed at 14. I was so embarrassed, I couldn't even enjoy the rest

of the graduation. She's not alone, she said three other girls did not get their diplomas on stage, but all of them did, after the ceremony. There she is smiling, she at least has it, she earned it. School District of Philadelphia said in a statement quote: "The District does not condone the withholding of earned diplomas based on family members cheering for their graduates. We apologize to all the families and graduates who are impacted and are further looking into this matter to avoid it happe

ning in the future. "Abdur-Raham says this assistant superintendent of the school also reached out to her and her mother apologizing for their experience and to talk further. Although she wished she had a better experience, she and her mother hope school leaders learned a valuable lesson. This is so ignorant, Rayyvana. I think this is so ignorant, you're not allowed to cheer. You better not whisper, maybe not exhale. Okay, this principal had a zero tolerance policy of just goofiness. And apparen

tly she did mean it. >> Yeah, it's really ridiculous. I think most graduations have this policy, trying to not make students feel embarrassed if they don't get as loud cheers as other students. Every graduation I've had has had this policy, no one ever follows it, and I've never seen it enforced to this degree. I will say I think the fact that this is a Girls School, means something. Right, because, respectability politics, particularly this is a majority, it seemed, Black Girl School. Respectab

ility politics is enforced on women, this is not a becoming way for you to behave. You're dancing across the stage, regardless of the fact that it was in honor of her deceased sister. It's ridiculous and she earned that degree. The principal has no right to withhold it from her, to take that moment away from her, from her family. Just let the girl get her diploma, giving it to her afterwards, she did graduate, but it's not the same. She didn't get that moment, you stole that from her, and for wh

at? Because you wanted to, enforce this relatively arbitrary rule, the families are gonna cheer, and that's not their children's fault. They wanna enjoy this moment, and I'll say, she looked absolutely beautiful going across that stage, and it's really, really unfair that they stole that moment from her. >> Yeah, she's a good person it seems, and a hard worker. And the principal on the spot scolded her, like this is your last really official thing of High School, and I'm gonna scold you right th

en and there, and throw your diploma down. I think it's despicable, it's despicable.