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Bonny Eagle High School Student Denied Diploma for Blowing a Kiss
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by Jarrett Martineau | June 16, 2009 at 09:52 am
97623 views | 51 Recommendations | 792 comments
Justin Denney, a student at Bonny Eagle High School student in Maine, was denied his diploma at a graduation ceremony on June 12th, for "fooling around" after his name was called.
His alleged infraction? Denney simply took a bow, blew a kiss to his family, and pointed to his friends as he got up on stage to receive his high school diploma.
The school's Superintendent Suzanne Lukas ordered Justin Denney to return to his seat and then refused him his diploma to graduate.
Both Denney and his mother Mary Denney are livid — and refuse to accept the school's claim that Denney misbehaved.
Justin Denney was graduating from Bonny Eagle High School June 12 and had gotten up on stage to receive his diploma when he gestured to his friends and relatives.
School Superintendent Suzanne Lukas abruptly told Denney to return to his seat, according to WMTW TV in Maine. He didn't get his diploma.
His mother, Mary Denney, is livid. Her son told her that the superintendent warned, "There's no fooling around up here."
"He just kind of looked at her because he wasn't fooling around. He didn't consider that fooling around or misbehaving in any sense of the word," Mary Denney told WMTW.
Lukas reportedly asked the soon-to-be graduate why he thought he deserved a diploma.
"He goes, 'Because I worked hard and I earned it,' and she goes, 'No, go take your seat,'" his mother told the station.
Other students also walked away empty-handed because of various disruptions during the ceremony. Some started playing with beach balls and others were separated from their friends, according to WMTW.
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Most RecentMost Recommended Comments (792)
at 13:13 on June 18th, 2009
Not all the staff at this school are idiotic...alot of the teachers are actually pretty cool..I don't want the over reaction of Lukas to make others think that all the teachers at this school are horrible...there not...Lukas is just a bad representation of the school.
at 13:18 on June 18th, 2009
The teachers at this school are for the most part all really good...Their not all like Lukas...shes a bad representation for the school...and the other teachers should not be called idiotic.
at 20:33 on June 17th, 2009
your a friggen moron T Turner.. its called celebrating what he has done for all his live going to school it's not like he was getting high or getting drunk..i graduated with him that night and it was complete bullshit that he was totally embarrassed and didn't get something he DESERVED after all his hard work. your an asshole
at 21:42 on June 17th, 2009
WTF. It's their graduation not a funeral. They should be having fun because they're exited and happy. Obviously two emotions you've never encountered.
at 03:09 on June 18th, 2009
Bravo! I agree with most of your post. The problem is that he wasn't being punished for blowing a kiss.
This kid in not innocent, not at all. He and the rest of his classmates signed a code of ethics. This was an agreement between him, all of his classmates, his school and all the parents of all the students. Blowing a kiss is not what this kid did, the band around his neck was the biggest issues.
The students were explicitly told not to wear these bands, they were not part of the graduation uniform and they were not allowed. He hid it under his graduation gown and while walking to the stage, pulled the band out. This is when he made the gestures that everyone thinks is "so cute". He wasn't blowing kisses, this was an act of defiance, plane and simple. He thought that he was being funny.
His father should be ashamed.
at 04:15 on June 18th, 2009
why to copy and paste your stupid comment on the boards. Your thoughts should be kept to your self. Like this kid deserves any of this and its now on the news and all over the internet.
at 08:05 on June 18th, 2009
thats not the dam point. he worked so hard for many years. he didn't show a gun or anything bad it was a band around his neck...so what. all schools should work the same. one school in this small state of Maine should not change the rules. its unfair. i went to my nehews graduation a couple weeks ago.. beach balls were thrown, air horns were blown.. It was so awesome. i was so proud to see everyone graduate. They only graduate once. so why not make it Fun. there overwhelmed with joy and excitement. why not show it! Shes needs to be fired and schools should all make the same rules... so give him his dam dipolma aand she should go on national television and appologize to him and everyone. You on the other hand.. go get a life!
at 10:04 on June 18th, 2009
"The band around his neck" ... please elaborate. You're attacking what this kid did and trying to sound like an educator or someone of authority. If you are one, you're pathetic because your grasp of basic English is an embarrassment.
"This is when he made the gestures that everyone thinks is "so cute"." No. Basic subject-verb disagreement here. It should be "gestures .... were"
And it's plain and simple, not plane as in a jet.
T Turner, you need to get over yourself. When the kids are marching in, taking their seats, yeah, that should be dignified. But if you are so overimpressed with yourself that you can't accept or allow for the sheer joy a teenager feels at having achieved the goal of high school graduation, if you can't appreciate the joy for what it is, then tell me, please, what the hell you're doing working with kids.
They have the rest of their lives to be solemn and serious. Graduation is a day of joy, pure and simple. It was when I graduated from high school 25 years ago. It was when I graduated from college 21 years ago -- it must really piss you off to see the messages the college grads put on their caps -- and it was a day of joy when my niece graduated from high school in Pennsylvania last Friday.
Graduation isn't about you, the administrator. It's about the kids. It's their accomplishments, not yours. You'd do well to start remembering that.
at 14:21 on June 20th, 2009
Karen,
Thank you for pointing out my typo. I do not want to attack you or your lack of information on this subject. It saddens me to know that someone like you and quite a few of the other posts would fall into the trap of forming a conclusion based on little knowldge. You do not have all the information on this issues. They were not making an example out of one kid.
He was not the only person that was denied their diploma that eve. He and quite a few students were told not to wear "ropes" around their necks. Thee ropes were earned for their accomplishments in xcountry that year not academic achievement. The graduation ceremony is for academic accomplishment. Again, they were clearly told NOT to wear them. Along with this, they signed a paper (Code of Conduct) that clearly pointed out what they could not do during graduation and the possible penalties.This agreement clearly pointed out that they could not wear anything outside of their robes.
He got up, blew his mom a kiss, pulled out the hidden adornment and then pounded his chest. It was clear that he wanted to make a statement. After that he made a few other comments and the rest was history.
Please understand, this was not the only issue by this gentlemen or the group of kids that he was associated with.
If you check the facts, you would find out that the enforced rules where established due to issues from previous graduations? Did you know that the public demanded these rules?
Here is a link to the code of conduct that they signed. He violated multiple points. http://strategerie.wordpress.com/2009/06/19/the-bonny-eagle-high-school-graduation-code-of-conduct/
at 17:17 on June 20th, 2009
Karen,
Jim pointed out errors in your facts (or lack of) and all you can do is point out grammar and spelling mistakes? I find this to be shallow.
It sounds like you are a smart lady so please tell me why it is ok for this young man to disobey a rule? If I speed, I have to pay a fine. They were told that they could not wear any adornments outside of their robe. A group of them were told that they could not wear the non-academic ropes. He hid it, pulled it out and then made an example of it. At the same time he blew a kiss to his mom. Kiss to his mother was ok, the outright defiance was not.
at 15:14 on June 20th, 2009
I want to apologize for the statement, "His father should be ashamed.". It was wrong and uncalled for.
His father should be proud of his graduation and any other accomplishments.
I am most angry at the news not reporting the entire story and all these people jumping to a conclusion while not knowing the facts. Rules were broken, people were spoken to. The situation got way out of hand and now we have a lot of people upset. This does not change my position.
Maine is a lot better then this. Lets find a solution to this and work on making sure this kid has a job when he tries to get one.
at 09:53 on June 18th, 2009
T Turner - I appreciate your opinion as an educator. However, a high school graduation is a culmination of 11 or 12 years of hard work. It is a ceremony for the children that participate and for the parents who also reap the benefits of their child graduating. The graduation is not for the teachers, principal or superintendent it belongs to the student. A graduation is supposed to be fun. These graduates are still kids. While I understand that the educators expect a "dignified" graduation but what is more dignified than your child graduating from High School.
The Superintendent overacted probably based on having an expection of a "dignified" graduation.
at 06:31 on June 19th, 2009
Actually, T Turner, most people are NOT saying that misbehaving students should be rewarded; since when does blowing your mother a kiss from the stage considered misbehaving?? I'm sure most of you did not know that this student was the first one on his mothers side of the family to earn his diploma.
I do remember graduating, back in 1985 (from High School) & yes, I did receive my diploma THAT day, not a blank piece of paper. In college, they mail the diplomas to you so it is a blank piece of paper.
at 09:02 on June 19th, 2009
it is hard enough to earn a diploma these days. All of the testing and senior class pprojects that i am quite sure mr. Turner you did not have to go through. It has became a sad day when people like you who over steps your bounds being so intolerable. I understand rules and graduation protacol, but "blowing a kiss to mom"? Please. you need to get a life. I could understand it if he flipped someone off in the audience or really cut a shannanigon. But for blowing a kiss? This is what people call controll freaks. They thrive off controlling peoples lives and make them miserable.Lighten up. in a day when kids are going off and killing folks and doing crazy things, this young man was expressing his happiness and don't need control freaks ruin his day. Question: Was you perfect on your graduation ?
at 10:50 on June 19th, 2009
I am a 51 year old psychologist. I am trying to understand where you are coming from. You are bitter, and you need to let this one go, for your own sake. I estimate your age to be between 50 and 75. Let this one go, you are not speaking for the children of today. We are not living in the 1930's.
at 17:17 on June 19th, 2009
Dear Mr/Ms. Turner,
Being excited and blowing a kiss is now way in hell a misbehavior. If you think even in a freaking parallel universe that is a misbehavior i dont even wanna know what you think about Drunk Driving. I must be a freaking blasphemy to God Almighty to you eh? Is showing love to your mother an abomination of God that you deny a student his hard earned diploma? Oh i bet your one of those brown-nosing teachers who take bribes from rich, blonde air-headed bimbos who sleep through high-school. Your a sick sick sick man/woman if you dont even condone "blowing a kiss". You have no emotion and no soul and have no sense of joy and happiness. You should crawl into an abyssmal hole for the rest of your life since in there, there is no happiness and joy that will bother with your stuck up and douche bag life. Get that shovel out of your arse and get out of that office your are so proud about. This small action is no where near the worst people have done when excited.
at 09:51 on June 22nd, 2009
Do you have spell check?
at 09:56 on June 22nd, 2009
Mr. Turner, do you review your work before you post it?
The sympathy/support is for the student.
Ms. Lukas was way out of bounds.
at 12:27 on June 24th, 2009
Honoring your parents in public just does not fall in any category of misconduct.
It appeared to take an extra ten seconds out of the ceremony.
They should all be allowed this even if it adds up to an extra hour.
at 08:28 on August 2nd, 2009
I don't know where you live but here in Maine the diploma you receive is real. This boy did nothing wrong. Iknow for a fact he had to wait about 2 weeks to receive it and had to go to the post office to pick it up. There have been many worse behaviors displayed at graduations and those have gone un punished. He smiled bowed and pointed at his Dad. What in Gods name is wrong with that. This woman should be fired.
at 08:17 on September 11th, 2009
You honestly need to rethink yourself , are you just plain heartless? he did nothing wrong. I go to BEHS and i was there i am now a senior and am debating if i should walk or not, god forbid if my shoes untied . thats not proper. Did you know his girlfriend was denied a diploma at that time as well because someone stole her PLP binder that you need to graduate ( which is a binder that you hold for 4 years putting good work in there and others that are needed. JUST SO YOU KNOW jerk) she was president at this school, high honors and had 5 extra credits but cant graduate till the 2nd quarter here because someone stole a stupid binder. go figure you need to go to hell because obviously thats where you belong. have a heart dick!
at 10:12 on June 18th, 2009
Please do not subject a parrot to a person such as she is.
at 21:06 on June 16th, 2009
I really do agree with Adam, for goodness sake it is their GRADUATION, not yours, let them do as they please as long as it doesn't hurt anyone. OOOH my goodness he blew a kiss and bowed, and even if he turned around and showed his butt at least it wasn't a gun or something worse. (All in fun and Love is what I say)
And Adam, Thank you for serving our country, I am proud of everyone of you over there......I will be praying for each and everyone of you.
at 21:21 on June 16th, 2009
You know the school boards across the country are getting alot on the pathetic side. I have 3 sons, my oldest is 15 yrs old, his acadimics are outstanding he will graduate college with a associates degree, and all the hard work that goes into this could all be taken away if he blows a kiss to me and my husband that is the most rediculous thing I have ever heard. This Luka woman needs her head examined. The goverment says we have to send our kids to school until they are old enough to drop out or graduate, the drop out rate in america is higher than it has ever been. Justin Denney finished and this woman violated him and offened and outraged the entire country, yet she still has a job. America has gone from one extreme to the other. My middle child was nearly expelled from kindergarten because he kissed a little girl on the check after she kissed him on the cheech. What the Hell people lets get real and back to reality.
GIVE JUSTIN DENNEY HIS DIPLOMA !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AND COME BACK TO EARTH WITH SOME COMMON SENSE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
at 05:26 on June 17th, 2009
I hate to say it, this is just one way America is changing. People on the school boards have now forgotten what it was like to be young. I have 4 kids and my oldest we have worked so hard with him just so he can gradutate. I would hope he blows me a kiss because we due all this work for our kids just so they can get to this stage in life. And now some women who thinks she is god just thinks she can take it away. She needs to pull the stick out. We work to cloth our kids feed them and try to get them to understand how hard we worked and this is something they need to due for themselves but we are their gidding them we want this just as much as the child. He showed respect to his mother. Let me tell you with 4 kids and I'm always at school events. I see very little respect from kids. So this has made me very mad. If they want to due something they better start trying to teach these young kids respect. Oh wait he was respecting his mother, I forgot that is not allowed. If my kids were younger I would due it all over again and just home school. I have lost faith in the schools and government. This is what happens when we place to many rules. No little fun anymore.
at 05:42 on June 17th, 2009
I agree. The student in question deserves his High School dipolma. I feel he was just over welmed with day. I don't think he was disrespectful of fooling around. The princepal should give him his diploma now!!
at 02:10 on June 17th, 2009
I am with my battle buddy here. This is ludacris, crazy, insane. I dont wanna be out here fighting for crap like that. That is not the idea of FREEDOM and the AMERICAN way. However Some of you are right. She should be ashamed of herself. Others say he got what he deserved. I have worked truancy, I love working with kids. Kids are the brink of our nation. If you stop them from doing one little thing that they deserve or let them down in any bad way they react very bad to that in the future. I have to say that what is a small deal to you is very much twice as much a deal to a younger person. This generation of kids are going to destroy America. It is almost a garuantee. The thing is, where do kids get such behavier? Where do they learn such things? Well it is us idiots on the internet and in their lives that say and do stupid thing and they see it and like it and use it in some way. This really is making a big deal out of something not all that though. They cant permanently keep his Diploma. Let it go.
Baghdad
at 08:38 on June 17th, 2009
This young man who has been denied his diploma has been treated completely unfairly. At my graduation students went up on stage and danced. They picked up one of the councilers and hugged her. What in the world is the superintendent thinking? In attempting to make a point, she has received harsh backlash and will definitley not leave this situation unscathed. I am relatively certain that this young man will recieve his diploma eventually.
and I know that I may have over reacted but I just couldn't let this point go, seeing as I am a member of the generation in question.
"This generation of kids are going to destroy America. It is almost a garuantee."
Excuse me, but being an 18 year old, I can guarantee that my generation will definitely not destroy America. I graduated last week with some of the brightest people in this nation, and I can say that based on where they're attending university and the classes I took with them during high school (like AP government and politics, AP physics, AP Chemistry, AP economics, and many more.... by the way AP are College level classes) and the community service they provided. They are honest, kind, intelligent people and America could not be better off with any one else. How can you claim that my generation is destroying America, especially when it is my generation who will be responsible for picking up the mess left by the past! I am proud of these people, proud to be connecte to them. You base your assertion on truancy work? Of course you're going to think the youth are damning us all.... you only dealt with the trouble makers! That skews your perspective. Don't defend this young man and then turn around and condemn him as the end of the great America. I know that there are some messed up teens all over the place, but you forget that this is the case in every generation. I know your statement was loosely placed but it is highly offensive. "Today's youth" deserve recognition and respect for their hard work
(which is why this young man should never have been denied his diploma).
at 10:26 on June 17th, 2009
Way to go Charla! You expressed yourself beautifully. Young people like you are our future and you have inherited quite a mess. Congratulations upon your graduation and good luck with your future endeavors. I know there are many more HS Grads like you all across our country, you all deserve our respect and recognition for your accomplishments. What happened in Maine was just beyond belief. Showing gratitude and love for your family and friends should be admired not punished.
at 10:59 on June 17th, 2009
Dear Charla,
For what it is worth, people said the same crud about my generation back in the Sixties. We didn't do so badly, though we've left your generation with a lot of problems. Judging by the content of your thoughtful note, it seems we're leaving this battered old world in pretty good hands.
Larry