A white Philadelphia principal has filed a lawsuit alleging racial discrimination after being removed from her position following a controversial graduation ceremony where she withheld diplomas from two students for violating conduct rules, the Daily Mail reported Thursday.
Lisa Mesi, former principal of the prestigious Philadelphia High School for Girls, claimed she was subjected to racism when she was removed from her position after enforcing longstanding graduation rules.
Her lawsuit, filed against the school district and associate superintendent Tomas Hanna, alleged that the disciplinary actions were racially motivated and unjust.
The controversy began during the school's June 2023 graduation ceremony, when Mesi withheld the diplomas for Hafsah Abdur-Rahman and Saleemah Burch. Abdur-Rahman danced across the stage to retrieve her diploma, and Burch made a gesture that elicited a response from the audience, according to the Daily Mail.
Both actions violated the school's tradition of requiring students to walk silently. Mesi denied the students their diplomas in adherence to those rules, a practice she stated had been enforced by her predecessors.
A video of the incident went viral, sparking backlash. The school district subsequently removed Mesi from her role and reassigned her to what she described in her lawsuit as a "demeaning" central office position involving "simplistic and menial tasks." She claimed the reassignment caused emotional distress, reputational harm, and hindered her career advancement.
Mesi also alleged her removal was discriminatory and retaliatory, stating that the district "threw her under the bus" to appease public outrage, according to the Daily Mail. Her lawsuit claimed the district would not have taken such action if she had been a person of color. Supporting her assertion, Mesi recounted that district spokesperson Monique Braxton allegedly told her, "If you were a Black woman, this would not be happening."
The lawsuit further detailed Mesi's unsuccessful attempts to secure administrative roles at other schools, where she claimed less-qualified Black candidates were chosen over her. She accepted a position as principal of Feltonville Arts and Sciences School in Philadelphia.
School officials criticized the incident. At the time, Ted Domers, Mesi's supervisor, emailed her to say that withholding the diplomas reflected "a lack of respect" for the students and failed to align with "culturally responsive norms."
School board President Reginald Streater condemned her action, stating that it upheld "antiquated norms" that stifled moments of joy.
The students involved also expressed frustration. Abdur-Rahman said it was humiliating, according to WPVI-TV in Philadelphia, recounting how she had been denied the chance to celebrate in honor of her late sister, who never had the opportunity to graduate. Burch and her family also were dismayed, arguing the reaction to her stage gesture was disproportionate.
Jim Thomas ✉
Jim Thomas is a writer based in Indiana. He holds a bachelor's degree in Political Science, a law degree from U.I.C. Law School, and has practiced law for more than 20 years.
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