(June 16) - A high school senior in Standish, Maine, was denied his diploma at his commencement ceremony Friday night after the teenager took a bow on stage and blew a kiss to his mother, WMTW-TV reported.
Justin Denney said he was told by the school district's superintendent to return to his seat because she said he was "fooling around."
"There was no misbehavior. Showboating is not misbehavior," said the teen's mother, Mary Denney. "A bow, a kiss to your mom is not misbehavior. There was no need of my son not getting his diploma."
She's now demanding an apology from the superintendent and wants her son to be handed his diploma.
"I want justice for my son. I want her to apologize to my son and I want her to hand him his diploma while he is in his cap and gown," she said.
Denney said she and Justin both signed a code of conduct when she picked up graduation tickets, but insists he didn't violate it.
WMTW tried to contact the superintendent and the principal of Bonny Eagle High School, but the station's calls were not immediately returned.
Before the graduation ceremony began, some some students pulled out beach balls. Two of them were disciplined for their actions.
Read the full story on WMTW-TV's Web site.
