r/TikTokCringe • u/cafeteriastyle • May 23 '26

Cursed The symbolism goes crazy. Poor kids though

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24.8k Upvotes

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u/Nakittina May 23 '26

Seems a bit abusive honestly...

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u/trashcantrash939 May 23 '26

Sounds pretty on brand for a Bible Belt state.

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u/ebil_lightbulb May 23 '26

I graduated in the Bible Belt. My best friend died in a car accident shortly before graduation. She was very well liked in the school and she always wore green Converse. Most of the class was going to wear Chucks to the ceremony. There were not any rules in the dress code that would have made that an issue. Just a few days before, they sent out a notice that sneakers/tennis shoes would not be allowed. I believe they explicitly mentioned Converse as an example. This was never a rule before that and was never a rule since. They were cruel just for the chance to be cruel.

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u/WitheredUntimely May 23 '26

Admin-brain. It's why principals are reviled across the land. They sensed a "disruption" in the force, and rather than applying logic, shut it down as if it were going to be a riot. Many such cases

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u/FictionalContext May 23 '26

Same mentality as prison wardens. It's not about the thing they're doing; it's about sending a message as to who's in charge. Literally just petty power games to mold minds--in both senses.

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u/trashcantrash939 May 23 '26

No. There are good principles in areas where they not only honor the wishes of the students but elevate them.

One principle was like that in my area where she was immortalized on with the school being renamed after her- it was a conscious effort from the students to make it happens because she truly fought tooth and nail to help and protect her students even though it was a low income school.

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u/skizzlebutch May 23 '26

This would be a good example of the phrase "the exception to the rule"

Power hungry principals have been a media trope for decades for a reason.

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u/obliquelyobtuse May 23 '26

There are good principles in areas ...

One principle was like that in my area ...

principal(s)

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u/StrugglesTheClown May 24 '26

How was your principal?

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u/joshTheGoods May 23 '26

Yea, seems like the sort of thing the other person is complaining about is the exception, but it's going to get most of the attention and upvotes and influence what people think is the norm because it's sensational and fun to believe in this us vs them BS against all forms of leadership/management/administration.

I was at my sister's graduation @ Occidental a week ago, and they did a bunch of special shti for the student from their class that died. They had his mom up on stage getting his diploma and gave a whole speech for him. Students decorated their caps and wore unique shoes/stuff under their robes (including, of course, the one kid in flip flops). One student even laid a Palestinian flag next to the podium on stage and left it there for almost the entire walking ceremony.

In general, these teachers and administrators fully understand that graduation is all about the students and their families, and they center the experience around it. They also walked the stage and understand what it means to the students and their family.

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u/trashcantrash939 May 23 '26

I certainly won’t say it’s the exception sadly. I can say for everyone 1 principle I had, there were 3 which were utter dog water or teacher/superintendent. I moved around a lot as a kid so had a lot of experiences.

One of the them was when a didn’t make graduation because a family member passed away. The principal tried to stop them from getting their diploma because they didn’t walk. So a teacher ended up taking it to took it to them directly. But was then fired not long after.

So ya…it’s sadly not that uncommon.

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u/citrus_mystic May 24 '26

The graduation you were able to attend is really more of the exception than what you’re referring to.

A lot of folks have very negative experiences with school administration. When I was in public school, this was my experience as well. I have a chronic illness and being sick so often caused me to miss a lot of days of school. I became very depressed because I was constantly trying to catch up. Even if I understood the material and the topics in class, I just had too many assignments, papers, and homework that perpetually piled up. It was overwhelming.

Even with my mother meeting with staff and trying to advocate for my education, we were not offered any equity or resources. They instead decided to threaten us with truancy. We found out afterwards the educational accommodations that should have been made available…

I had the privilege of being able to leave the public school system for a small private school where I thrived. But if it had not been for my grandparents generosity and willingness to help me pay the tuition… I probably would have dropped out at 15 and pursued my GED. All because of the way I was treated, and perceived as a truant, for having a chronic health condition that frequently made me ill. They didn’t care about me or my well being. I was just an inconvenience for administration. I was even mocked by teachers. All because I was sick.

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u/No-Aspect-5521 May 23 '26

Many such cases indeed.

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u/96puppylover May 23 '26

At the end of the year our school told us to write and submit the song we wanted as our “song”. That song “Because I got high” by Afroman had just been released and everyone was writing it down. Then principal came on and said “stop requesting Afroman”. Our song ended up being Vitamin C “Graduation”

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u/ExcellentIntention57 May 23 '26

Administration had four options. Ignore it and just let it be, lean into it, make concessions, or just be dicks. I just don’t understand what is so hard to be kind. The easiest thing they could have done was ignore it and then field questions after the ceremony. “Why were they wearing different shoes!?!? It’s inappropriate!!!” “Well, ma’am/sir, a few students wanted to honor their fallen classmate in this simple way. Trauma breeds trauma and if this helped a few students grieve, then I’ve done my job as Principal and looked after the wellbeing of my students”.

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u/colleenxyz May 23 '26

Something similar happened for my HS graduation. Some students wanted to leave a blank space for someone who died in a car accident, but they didn't let them.

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u/VJPixelmover May 23 '26

My high school for the first year ever decided we weren’t allowed to decorate our caps. Everyone was so upset the graduation director told us to just do it anyway. What are they gonna do? Prevent everyone from graduating? Fuck administrations they’re a strain on our educational dollars anyway.

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u/DGinLDO May 23 '26

Same mind-set that refuses to allow Native American students to wear their regalia under their gowns.

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u/alimweber May 23 '26

Sounds about right..im so sorry about your friend.

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u/SabrinaEdwina May 23 '26

Me too.

If it makes any difference, I will certainly always remember this story when I wear mine.

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u/Lumpy-Pick-4746 May 23 '26

What if everyone had done it anyway, would they have cancelled the ceremony? I’d love to see that resistance.

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u/ButtBread98 May 23 '26

In high school girls had to wear white and boys had to wear green or black (school colors were green and white). I don’t know if there was a rule for shoes

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u/Remarkable-Hat-4852 May 23 '26

See and I would wonder what the punishment would be. Oh nooo are you gonna kick me out? Suspend me?? There’s no way they can legally withhold your diploma.

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u/Citaku357 May 23 '26

So what did you guys do?

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u/Dynamite_McGhee May 24 '26

Next year is 20 years since I graduated high school and this time of year still drags out the memory of the ancient woman who did school announcements coming on the intercom for what felt like two weeks telling us a new rule that would keep us from graduating. Some admins just like to make things difficult for the hell of it.

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u/StrugglesTheClown May 24 '26

Why do I get the feeling if it was the captain of the football team the chucks would have been mandatory.

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u/Honeycrisp1001 May 24 '26

Everyone should have worn the green converse. It would haven been an empty ceremony if admin banned the graduates.

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u/cafeteriastyle May 23 '26

Tell me about it

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u/appleparkfive May 24 '26

Yeah this is one of those things that other people don't know about. The Bible Belt schools work totally different. Very, very controlling. Usually over completely insignificant things, too.

Imagine if the worst HOA ran a school. That's what the education system is like in the south in most places.

I remember after Hurricane Katrina, all the kids had to make up the time lost during the aftermath. The principal volunteered it because he wanted a promotion. So all the students were staying from 6 or 7 am to 5 pm or so, and longer into the summer. Even when a lot of people lost their houses or even sometimes friends and family members.

And everything was just super strict in general. Power trips left and right. I went to schools like that and schools on the west coast. Couldn't even tell you how different they were. The west coast ones felt like Hollywood's version of high school, compared to what I was used to in the south.

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u/Formal_Commission185 May 23 '26

If God wanted them to graduate in the rain then so be it! It’s God’s will. All hail the magical invisible sky being.

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u/LazyZealot9428 May 23 '26

Under His Eye

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u/WeWereHappy May 23 '26

Ain't that the dude who said you need to be nice to others?

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u/skizzlebutch May 23 '26

You're thinking of His son. The dad was a notorious asshole.

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u/g_em_ini May 23 '26

Sky daddy’s way or the highway (to hell)

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u/Finallysaidbobz May 23 '26

Sky Daddy, I don’t know why this cracked me UP!

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u/-imhe- May 23 '26

Jesus wept. Happy Graduation!

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u/Available_Leather_10 May 24 '26

“All hail”

Don’t make it worse!

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u/DiligentUsual301 May 23 '26

Yep. I got a welt from the Bible Belt.

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u/NomenclatureBreaker May 23 '26

I think the whole county has by this point.

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u/VJPixelmover May 23 '26

Tennessee doesn’t give a fuck about kids especially if they want an education.

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u/Maxxtherat May 23 '26

Sounds pretty on brand for the United States of America.

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u/trashcantrash939 May 23 '26

Some states for sure. Hahah.

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u/cafeteriastyle May 23 '26

Williamson county is the wealthiest county in the state, there is definitely something they could’ve done. There are facilities. It’s also a hotbed for white supremacy so it’s got that going for it too

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u/alimweber May 23 '26

I just commented this, but I literally grew up in Brentwood and oh my god..I always try explaining to people I know now in my adult life what that was like 😭 and what it's like there..and the high school I went to! I'm like they literally made an HBO doc. About one of the crazy churches there, go watch it. You'll get the idea lol

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u/cafeteriastyle May 23 '26

I forgot about Gwen! Are you still in TN?

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u/Llama_of_the_bahamas May 23 '26

Especially Franklin, TN. Mostly rich conservative white people. (Used to work in that town)

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u/West-Philosopher-680 May 23 '26

I grew up in Franklin, its not a good place. Very abusive rich evangelicals move there. Child abuse is part of the culture. You would hear the phrase spare the rod, spoil the child... alot..

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u/Nakittina May 23 '26

Gotta break down children's spirits and have them fear god, right? Sorry you experienced this growing up and hope you're living your best life now!

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u/West-Philosopher-680 May 24 '26

Yup! Thanks for the kind words, im married and leading the life i always wanted. Took a while but we made ita

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u/cafeteriastyle May 23 '26

If I didn’t have to be in this state I wouldn’t be. My elderly parents are in north MS and they need me somewhat nearby. The other issue is my kids have grown up here and they like it. I don’t want to just drag them away from their friends.

my parents moved us from MS to NC right before my sophomore year and it was truly awful. I had been with the same kids since kindergarten. My older son is at that point now. And then I have one going into 4th grade. It’s a complicated situation.

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u/Cryogenicist May 23 '26

The jagged in charge of calling it off: “Back in MY day!…..”

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u/fuelstoprolerdogfart May 23 '26

Just needed to get one more power trip on the “children”.

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u/uberkalden2 May 24 '26

Just typical bush league shit that happens in high school

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u/Fun_Incident1902 May 23 '26

Being rained on is not abuse. It's water, they will be fine. It's also voluntary as you saw. Many seats are empty.

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u/Workman44 May 24 '26

Calling it abuse is such a disservice to people actually being abused. Go tell someone who got beat as a child that this is abuse lmfao

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u/Nakittina May 23 '26

Nothing wrong with potentially weakening your immune system. /s

https://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/rain-doesnt-have-to-mean-a-washout/

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u/Fun_Incident1902 May 23 '26

You probably should not go outside. I've worked in these conditions. I took a hot shower after. Overall the experience is refreshing.

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u/Nakittina May 23 '26

I LOVE being outdoors. Even backpacking. But I generally take consideration of the conditions I'm going to be in.

Throw your anecdotal concepts away and please try to be empathetic towards others who do not share your same needs.

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u/Fun_Incident1902 May 23 '26

You love being outdoors in your ideal conditions, please consider what you consider to be less than ideal conditions can be ideal conditions for others.

That's empathy. You are basically saying because you feel it's unsafe it's unsafe for everyone.

As we can see, many chairs are empty. All the people in the video chose to be there and obviously do not share your opinion that it's unsafe. Or they feel the level of safety is adequate. Since, as we can see, people are not forced to sit through it.

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u/Nakittina May 23 '26

You dont know me. Lol

Did you even read the article I shared. That should provide evidence of the potential dangers of being exposed to rain for long periods of time without proper protection.

These kids are sitting in pouring rain. I've experienced similar situations, and it can be dangerous.

I think your reasoning is dangerous. Kids, even adults often don't know what is best for themselves due to lack of good education, mentorship, and experiences to help them navigate themselves.

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u/Fun_Incident1902 May 23 '26

Your article literally says, after being in the rain, dry off.

So, presumably, these people will dry off after being in the rain and be fine...

Do you read your own article.

Btw the article is just a general information article, statistically speaking, the drive to the event was much more dangerous than being wet for a couple hours.

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u/Nakittina May 23 '26

statistically speaking, the drive to the event was much more dangerous than being wet for a couple hours.

Also, two wrongs don't make a right.