Bonny Eagle High School Student Justin Denney Denied Diploma After Bowing & Blowing a Kiss To His Family
Posted on June 17, 2009
Justin Denney, a Maine high school senior at Bonny Eagle High School was denied his diploma at graduation after he took a bow when his name was called, pointed to friends and blew a kiss to his family. Read more on this story below.
Senior Justin Denney was graduating from Bonny Eagle High School June 12 and as up on stage to receive his diploma when he gestured to his friends and relatives.
School Superintendent Suzanne Lukas abruptly told Justin Denney to return to his seat, and didn’t present him his diploma.
Suzanne Lukas told the Portland Press Herald newspaper she was enforcing behavior rules.
Of course Justin’s 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.
Suzanne Lukas reportedly asked Justin Denney 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,’” Justin’s mother revealed.
But Justin apparently wasn’t the only one that walked away empty-handed because of various disruptions during the ceremony. Some played with beach balls and others were separated from their friends, according to WMTW.
Mary Denney doesn’t believe her son violated any code of conduct.
“There was no misbehavior. Showboating is not misbehavior,” she told the station. “A bow, a kiss to your mom is not misbehavior.”
Justin’s mother wants an apology to her son from Suzanne Lukas and for her to present him with his diploma while he is in his cap and gown.
So what do you guys think? Did Justin Denney deserve to be denied his diploma for bowing and blowing a kiss to his mother?
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34 comments
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this really is america, folks?
I’M TRUELLY ASHAMED!!
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Absolutely Stupid! This Superintendant is on a power trip and needs to see what it is like to stand in an unemployment line! The entire School Board should recognise how unprofessional she was. A Black Mark on the Maine Public School System.
All parents should band together on this one and the Student should file a suit against the school and the Superintendant as an individual.
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Today’s young people,with exceptions,of course,do not respect the meaning of a graduation ceremony..it means the end of a course of study,a new beginnig,a time of growing into resposible adulthood,a time to leave childhood,a gift from the taxpayer all that goes into the efforts of out educators.At least respect that if nothing else…
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Not so fast. First, he got his diploma, but not at the ceremony. Don’t be so dumb as to think the liberal medias is giving you the whole story, either. I was there for my daughter’s graduation. It was held at the Cumberland County Civic Center in Portland. They only had the arena for a certain time period. Therefore, a code of conduct was required, to insure the ceremony was not disrupted as it had been last year. Every student was REQUIRED to agree. Two students were dishonest, and disrupted the ceremony anyway. This student did more than his mother reported to the hack journalists who never bothered to investigate. For example, he also made his own homemade ACADEMIC CORDS, presented to honor students, in an attempt to indicated that he was an honor student, which he was not. The teachers warned him in advance NOT to wear or display them, but he hid them under his gown, then pulled them out and flailed them around, anyway. The student violated his agreement of conduct, and also ignored warnings not to display or wear phony academic cords. Now, for those who still think this sort of behavior is acceptable, note that if each of the 287 students had stolen 30 seconds to screw off during the ceremoney, the two hour ceremony would have been 4.5 hours. The school did not have the arena for that long, and the parents cannot be expected to endure that just so idiots can clown around. The ceremony is supposed to be protocol. the celebration is supposed to come afterward. Imagine some clown disrupting your wedding ceremony just because he is selfish and cannot wait for the reception.
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[...] leaders in Washington DC. The consequences of Obama’s depressing message are beginning to sink in. The weight of government largess is sinking the ship of state both financially and spiritually, [...]
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This is just stupid. I graduates two years ago from High School and we were told the same thing. No one was denied their diploma but why is it that the school officials don’t seem to understand that all of that is for the STUDENTS not themselves. Yes, it’s for the parents as well but I don’t know anyone whose parents would be upset by that?
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Hey Bill,
I’m a BE student and Justin HAS NOT received his diploma…
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Bill, they were not fake honor cords they were his track cords, and I don’t care if the graduation takes 4.5 hours because every kid wanted to wave and blow a kiss to his parents, he did so as he was walking across the stage. Shame on you for thinking that these kids don’t deserve at least that, they have been working their butts off for the last 13 years, I’m not saying they’re prefect but they deserve it. When I graduated all of us gave everyone a hug. It’s sad that we’re telling kids this is a graduation but you can’t have fun. To hell with that. Suzanne Lukas should have thought if she would have liked to have been told that at her graduation or to think her holding a students diploma wasn’t more of a disruption then taking a bow and blowing a kiss. At least I found this out before I have kids and send them to that school district.
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I was APPALLED at the audasity of this stupid superintendent! I live all the way on the east coast and when I saw this I had to respond. My kids are high school graduates in college now who WORKED VERY HARD for their graduation day and more than deserved their moment in the sun on that day. Blowing a kiss to your mom or family is not “ACTING UP”, pulling down your pants and showing your ass to the crowd is. Since this student did not do anything wrong to deserve his graduation day to be ruined by this jackass is uncomprehensable. Does this woman have children?? If so, maybe social services should have taken them away from her a long time ago so they could lead healthy normal lives. She is very lucky there wasn’t any bad behavior on stage that day like I have seen at some graduations. GET A LIFE LADY, and the Board of Education out there better haul her ass out of that nice cushy job she has and put someone in there that has personality and an understanding of human nature which she obviously doesn’t. Put her in a position where she doesn’t have to deal with people since she has no concept of human nature and doesn’t understand the love and compassion families have for one another. WAY TO RUIN A GRADUATION JERK!
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Bill. I watched the videos on this , your story is very diffrent from what i saw. if you realy thought this kid was out of line , you need to get the broom stick out of your behind too. Sounds like your gona raise a nice little kool aid drinking kid.
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Bill You are fucking moron. Watching the tape, which was slowed down CONSIDERABLY just to capture what he did, his “actions” took maybe 3 seconds. Denying a kid his diploma because he displayed a cord with his track team colors(not the lie you are telling)because he was proud is as ignorant as your recollection. I wouldn’t doubt that you are part of the Nazi party school board that hired that lunatic in the first place and you are trying to cover your ass. Douche.
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I don’t get this “it would have taken 4.5 hours” stuff. At my daughters graduation a few weeks ago there were waves and smiles from the graduates to their parents, waves and smiles from parents to their children; no crazy or inappropriate behavior at all, just a lot of much deserved joy. Most of the kids stopped for a few seconds on the way back to their seats so that parents and friends could take a quick picture……and the whole ceremony was less than 2 hours….with 298 graduates.
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I agree with the last few comments. Bill get a real life. The lie you live sucks. The ceremony is for the students who earned it. Not for power hungry administrators who live to bring down students. She would be out on unemployment if she worked for me.
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I graduated from Bonny Eagle last year and I was at the graduation personally and I know Justin Denny, personally. He’s a good kid and he works hard. He’s just a fun kid. I didn’t see anything wrong with what he did at graduation and Mrs. Lucas took it was out of proportion. She was mad because a couple of the beach balls were thrown during her speech. They even had a cop on stage checking everyone out to see if they had anything. Then they pulled another kid off the stage and didn’t let him march or anything. AND HE DIDN’T EVEN DO ANYTHING. They thought he was responsible for the beach balls, so they kicked him off stage. The class of 2009 deserves an apology for her actions during THEIR graduation.
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I go to bonny eagle he hasn’t received his diploma yet this is rediculous he earned it she has no right to deny him his right to graduate
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Justin really has not gotten his diploma yet, so bill shut your mouth. who are you anyway… The superintendants wife most likely.. You’re an idiot.. I go to bonny eagle and another thing is she was basically being sexist.. Not one girl that did anything “bad” was treated the same as the boys.. or were you to busy to notice this
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Suzanne Lukas whatever meds you’re taking get to your family physician ASAP the side effects have damaged your brain… You need to resign, and take a course in anger management before you flip out again, the next time it could be terminal.
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Give the cunt a call:
Suzanne Lukas
PO Box 38
Bar Mills, ME 04004-0038
(207) 929-3831
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Bill,
You’re a bit of a dolt. That cord was a cord he received for his participation on the football team. It wasn’t a homemade cord. Numbnuts.
Also wedding != graduation. Apples and Oranges.
This “Bill” person is either Lukas herself, a friend/family, or a typical Masshole who can’t mind the business of his own state. Choke yourself.
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I am appalled by this. First off, steps must be taken to get the kid his diploma. If they refuse, he may have to take the GED exam.
Now what to do about the superintendent? Well, I think this article presents one solution
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jp4MWprvfgiY0m41jzEG76xTtN9gD98A9S1G0
The students in that article fought back, and I think that the students at the high school should do the same. Organize a recall and boot all of them off the school board.
Here is another idea. Justin Denny should look into the requirements for running for school board. In my community, you can run for school board at age 18. If there were to be a recall election, Justin can run, if anything, as a way of mobilizing the young eligible voters.
To the Students of Bony Eagle high, and your community…You have the power! Don’t let Suzanne Lukas beat you down! For those of you who just turned 18, get off your ass, go out and register to vote! Get those petitions out to oust that school board and Osama Bin Lukas!
Fight the power!
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This bill guy a a completely a fucking idiot beause I also go to Bonny Eagle and know that justin is actually a very good kid so unless you know him personally or have a problem with him dont criticize him for showing appreciation to his family because actually he did deserve his diploma right then and there so go FUCK YOURSELF!!
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Sorry to say guys but Bill isn’t wrong. The facts are the facts. Multiple rules were broken. “Blowing a kiss” was not one of them. The news wants you to believe this so you get upset and make a big stink. So far it is working.
Justin hasn’t received his diploma because he hasn’t gone down to the school to pick it up. Other students did not get their diploma that eve and they have received.
The rope around his neck was for xcountry. It was a great accomplishment and he should be proud of it. The problem was, the rules stated that no one could wear anything on the outside of their gown (See the “Code of Conduct” that they signed) My guess is that he felt this rule to be unfair and decided to do things his way. Combine this with other actions from multiple students and we have the current situation.
I don’t know Justin. My guess is that he is a good guy. I feel for him, really I do, but rules were broken. Order was kept.
If he was making a statement with his adornment then so be it. Shout it out loud! “I found this rule to be unfair, I protest” Then accept the penalty and hope that people rally around you in support.
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They were fraudulent cords. Not fake because they do exist. Justin’s mom made the cords. They were not presented by the school. Justin was told not to wear them and concealed them under his gown. Athletic achievements are recongiznied and honored at a sports banquet. Academic honors are not recognized at a sports banquet, are they? Was not the track achievement a team sport, why not celebrate it as a team. (not just the seniors) Justin and his MOM actions of fraudulent cords have diminish the honor that was rightfully given to the honor students. NHS gives their cords for scholarship, leadership, service, and character. Justin fails in all 4 of these categories by his actions and inability to keep his word. Being a character is not exhibit character.
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az:
so you agree with the school admin and her actions. The videos i saw were not taken by the media , but by people in the audiance. I did not see where what he did was any big major infraction that warneted her actions.Ok so he didn’t get his sheep skin.and you think that what should have happened . you are typical of the jim jones koolaid drinkers that beleave you should follow every rule to the letter and your a good little bundist.
god forbid we question any actions by the administration
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i dont think it’s wrigth that justin didn’t get his diploma causes of a bitch like her . how would she feel if they did the same to her , big deal if someone blew there mom a kiss i hope when my kids gradate in 2 yr’s that they do the same causes io they deservie it all the way .i also think that she should hand justin his diploma in front of his family and friend’s
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Why do a lot of those who support the students use such bad words? Why do those who condemn Superintendent Lukas use such bad words?
I am not saying I agree or disagree with either side, but I think those who have strong opinions might be able to articulate them without the vulgarity. I understand people are upset, but I think there can be discord , even strong discord without the name-calling and obscenities.
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Students who sign contracts need to know the consequences if they break them. These are people on the brink of living in the real world. The world is not all about these eighteen year olds, not even their school’s graduation ceremony. They were warned. This particular student and his mother knowingly and willfully violated school policy. They CHOSE to do this. He must suffer the consequences and his mother should stop believing he is the center of the universe. He’s not. No one is. Grow up already. You don’t like the rules? Change them. Don’t support them by signing a contract.
And oh by the way – YES he graduated, and yes there is a diploma for him that proves that. Just because he doesn’t have it in his possession yet doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist. He did graduate.
GROW UP! That goes for idiot parents too.
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This lukas bitch needs to suck Bill’s tiny little nut sack.
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Bill is a sissy and Suzanne is probably a 400 pound slop faced pig.
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Wow, some of you should be ashamed at how you present yourselves to the public, regardless of the fact that this is the internet. Koolaid drinkers? Fucking idiot, fuck yourself, Nazi, choke yourself? SERIOUSLY? MSAD 6, their student body and parents are already a running joke in the state of Maine; keep adding fuel to the fire, folks! I can’t help but laugh at what a spectacle you’re making of yourselves.
He was at the graduation, therefore he met the requirements and is a 2009 graduate. He has a diploma to prove this, but for whatever reason refuses to pick it up or have it personally delivered. Funny, this little tactic could make it appear to the public that HITLER LUKAS is withholding his diploma. A graduation ceremony is NOT a time for public celebration- that’s what Project Grad and private graduation parties are for. Keep in mind the key word here- ceremony. This doesn’t mean toss around beach balls and hold up the line of diploma presentation to flaunt self-made athletic honor cords and squeeze out an additional few seconds in the spotlight. Displaying the cords in question is offensive not only to the NHS students who earned the right to wear cords over their robes, but to the other athletes at Bonny Eagle who CERTAINLY did not show up wearing letterman jackets or cords that mimicked that of the honor students. You didn’t see a member of the football team, a team that obviously garners a lot of attention and for good reason, behaving like a pompous ass and creating his own achievement decorations, so why should Justin be given special privileges?
This isn’t a party, a concert, or a sports game… what the hell don’t you people understand about this? If everyone thinks she’s such a dictator, well, clearly you haven’t entered the “real world” yet. In the real world, you are given a standard and are expected to adhere to it. Only at Bonny Eagle will you encounter a population that thinks acting inappropriately under any and every circumstance is acceptable, and any attempts to maintain some sense of decorum is a crime against our Constitutional rights. Ha, I went there for elementary and middle school- I would know. I was proud to invite my loved ones to a graduation CEREMONY that was carried out with poise, class, and honor. You’d be dragged out of Merrill Auditorium by a priest by your ear if you *ever* tried to pull any sort of antic that took away from the integrity of the ceremony. It’s a shame that Bonny Eagle’s attempt to host a respectable graduation ceremony is creating such an uproar. Given the schools reputation- and I can certainly attest to the fact that people really do cringe if you say you’re from a town in the MSAD 6 district- putting forth a list of expectations could’ve been a step in the right direction. The media spectacle these families are inviting into our district is shameful and pathetic. Selling t-shirts to help finance an attorney, one who is arguably one of the finest civil attorneys in the state, to milk this situation for all it’s worth is downright tacky. I’m sure he has more important matters to attend to besides a “damaged” family seeing nothing but dollar signs. You should be ashamed!
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Ashamed is putting it mildly. These graduates are now considered legal adults – how frightening for the rest of us who have to share the world with them! Will they expect their parents to find lawyers for them everytime they get in trouble because they didn’t want to follow the rules?
What a disgrace, not just for Bonny Eagle, but for Maine. This made the national news. Is this truly how Mainers wish to be represented? Like inconsiderate, immature rednecks? Shame is putting it mildly.
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Bill, and a few others, are right. Most of you are totally clueless. I don’t know if it would have taken 4.5 hours but its true that BEHS only had the space for a specific period of time. Showboating takes time. Even if the high school had the space for 48 hours the school can ask for some dignity. The cord Denney wore was made by his mother to “honor” his track achievements. Good for him. He runs the 400m faster than anyone in the state. That and $5 will get you a cup of coffee at Starbucks. He wouldn’t have made the top ten in the county I live in, and would not have qualified for the state meet at all. But none of that matters.
The kid’s mother even admitted that he was “showboating”. These kids were asked to sign a contract NOT to SHOWBOAT; no horsing around, no wearing homemade ribbons or scarfs or hats or pins, no turning cartwheels. Justin Denny AND his mother signed this contract. So what did he do? This teenager was going to show everyone how cool he was. He was going to HIDE his little ribbon under his shirt and pull it out on stage (why would he hide it if it wasn’t strictly forbidden?), he was going to bow and blow a kiss to all his admiring fans, he was going to show those adults that he didn’t have to play by their rules.
Most of you have no idea what kind of school Bonny Eagle is. I know parents and students there. The place has had a lot of trouble; drugs, fights, weapons. The school has a terrible reputation academically (it lost its accreditation a short time ago). The behavior of the students there is embarrassing. The district needed someone to come in and make changes. One of those changes was to make the graduation less of a joke. The superintendent was specifically asked by the school board to stop the antics that had gone on in years past at graduation. Thats what she was asked to do, and thats what she did.
What did the students do? They tried to ham it up as usual. They tried to show everyone how mature they were by throwing things around like it was an episode of Jerry Springer instead of a high school graduation.
What did the parents do? They got incensed when one of the little punks was held accountable for his showboating. They rushed the stage at the end of the ceremony and threatened the superintendent and the staff. They hired lawyers and want to sue. They want to blame everyone but their kids and themselves.
Very nice. You should all be proud of yourselves. And what lesson did this kid and all the others learn? Rules don’t apply to you. You can do whatever you want. You can act like a punk and someone will make tee shirts with your name on it and you’ll be a hero to the rest of the punks.
I hope this kid doesn’t try that with a police officer, a drill Sargent, or the night manager at McDonald’s.
You all seem to think that its appropriate to call the superintendent names like Hitler, Stalin, Skank, Whore, Bitch…
One of the little ironies here is that MOST of you who are so upset with the academic administration can barely form a coherent sentence, spell simple words correctly, or share a thought without resorting to vulgarity and threats.
You should really take a look in the mirror and ask yourselves who is responsible for the behavior of punk kids like this.
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Honestly, I think you should all attend the school for a year….Then maybe you will know the school is terrible…I graduated there over 10 years ago and I will tell you what a joke most of the school is. The super, I had my own dealing with her when my daughter was in Kindergarten. She wouldnt let my daughter stay in Sad6 district because we lived on the line of the Gorham school district. Well I can tell you she is not a compassionate person. She made my daughter change schools. We only rented and were suppose to live in the district but ended up having to rent this house we found. The kids right across the street attended Sad6. I had 2 younger children I wouldnt have requested to go to sad6 but for the stability of my daughter she needed to stay in that school. This super is not a very nice person and doesnt think of anyone but herself.
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just to set the record straight…the track boys asked permission to wear the track cords. they were given permission by the staff present at the graduation i was there. if you watch the video several other boys wore them after justin and they received their diplomas. justin is a fine upstanding young man just ask anyone who knows him. as for lukas…check her back ground…you’ll be suprised!!!
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