On the day of her big moment, Hafsah Abdur Rahman was shocked after the principal denied her diploma just because she rejoiced the moment on stage just like the rest of her class at The Philadelphia High School for Girls.
📚 Read Also: Johns Hopkins Univ. Applauded for Supporting Muslim Students
During the graduation ceremony, held on June 9, the 18-year-old Muslim student made sure her family were told not to cheer, clap, or walk on stage.
Yet, when she approached the stage with flowers in her hand, performing the popular “Griddy” dance in joy, she was denied her diploma by the principal the Philadelphia Inquirer reported.
When Abdul-Rahman reached for her diploma, she was rebuffed by the principal who told her: “You’re not getting your diploma because you made the crowd chuckle.’”
Stunned, she kept walking, but “I was humiliated,” said Abdul-Rahman. “You only get one moment like that, and it was taken away from me.”
Outrage
The moment Abdul-Rahman’s grandmother posted a video of her granddaughter’s ordeal on social media, it went viral with hundreds of people reacted condemning the principal’s behavior.
“With the climate in the city of Philadelphia, these kids have lost so much,” said Renee Haniyah Reid, Abdul-Rahman’s grandmother.
“The dynamics have changed. And my granddaughter wants to be an entrepreneur; if she’s not going to college, this was her last walk. They told me, ‘Oh, well, she’ll get over it.’
“That was not right. I cannot believe she didn’t give her her diploma,” someone commented under the post.
“Why can’t she be excited???!!!” another Facebook user wrote. “They humiliated her in front of the entire school!”
“I cannot believe this bs!!! Her celebratory expression is no different than those who waved or blew kisses!!!!” someone else wrote. “My heart is hurting for you and my g-niecey right now!”
“That’s insane!!!! And so embarrassing smh. I’m sorry you all had to experience that. Hopefully, she will get her diploma but the sad thing is she’ll never forget this moment,” another Facebook user commented under the post.
Abdur Rahman isn’t the only girl to be denied her diploma on this day.
Saleemah Burch, 18, also had to walk off the stage without her Girls’ High diploma.
Burch said Mesi told her, “I’m sorry, I love you so much, but one of your family members clapped.”
As her family confirmed they didn’t make any noise, she felt very sad to be denied the big moment. “I worked so hard to get that diploma.”
The School District of Philadelphia eventually apologized in a statement, saying it “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 were impacted and are further looking into this matter to avoid it happening in the future,” the statement says.