Teen Denied Diploma for Owing School $15

All Ellie McCormick from Omaha, Nebraska, wanted to do was get her diploma and be done with high school. But she was denied. The 18-year-old’s diploma was held because she owed the school $15. It turns out, she never returned her laptop bag that she lost her freshman year, and the school wanted her to pay up. “I just kind of forgot about it, to be honest, because it's a laptop bag,” she explained. Inside Editon’s Andrea Swindall has more.

[@kitkat3155]

I find it a bit odd that she wasn’t warned in advance that this would happen at graduation if she didn’t pay…

[@TrinhNguyen-sh4fj]

Me too. Wouldn’t they tell you if you owed money?

[@PureAloha78]

When I graduated, we had to clear up all monies owed to the school before we could walk the line at graduation . We had to get different departments to sign off on our paper saying we were clear of any deficiencies. At least she kept her good spirits up. She seemed like a sweet fun girl that just forgot to pay one obligation .

[@igotnoodlesgold9193]

For my school you weren't even allowed to the ceremony if you owed something on top of that they let you know about any fines you had a whole 3 weeks in advance

[@seanbrummfield448]

She's lying I'm pretty sure she was notified for months about this. Especially over a damaged laptop. Like, even she would be the first person to know she's paying for damages.😂

[@matthewcron8842]

Yeah, my high school made sure that everyone had their debts settled before graduation.

[@gdewyg]

It's so unfortunate for professional institution to act this way. Nothing justifies this decision

[@yeejay6396]

​@loganwallofficalsniperwlfhater😮‍💨

[@MorpheusASmith]

So you're saying it's unfortunate for a professional institution to act professionally and hold students accountable for their actions?

[@JCEditsYT]

she should've paid idk why your supporting people not paying fines

[@yeejay6396]

@@MorpheusASmith why not /j

[@gasparvillalba7435]

​@@MorpheusASmithExactly! So I can rack up tens if not hundreds of dollars in debt and just say well it shouldn't matter, let me get my car or house anyway. Welcome to your first real-life lesson girlie, if you owe money for something your pretty face isn't going to get you out of it.

[@HappyInkling1287]

my entire time I was in high school, my teachers were always telling me. "make sure you don't have any school fees, otherwise you will not be allowed to graduate".

[@landor7610]

They let her walk, they handed her a thing, they didn't embarrass her at all. She admits she should have paid it, she probably knew. It's obviously not too important because she still hasn't picked it up and doesn't really care. It's a good life lesson to these kids, "pay your bills."

[@Eccentech]

I doubt she remembered a $15 laptop bag she lost

[@spurrr5]

​@@EccentechHow you know they didnt remind her?

[@amelia6557]

A hole much?

[@bleep1402]

As much as parents pay public schools for various activities, contests, donations, and literally any random thing they come up with. I think this was absolutely unacceptable. Disgusting

[@Slob_Master_]

Don’t pay your bills everyday it will be all fine

[@bryanthernandez9769]

Actually it’s not disgusting it’s reality you need to pay for you own like don’t be a Karen Karen

[@sola_a]

Youre wilding, pay your bills and this doesnt happen

[@cupidok2768]

WAIT THIS IS NORMAL EVEN 20YEARS AGO...

[@BronnyJames2025MVP]

We live in a hyper-capitalist dystopian nightmare. The ultra wealthy live in armed gated communities while everyone else just lives where they can.

[@therealopaartist]

A girl in my graduation class was nearly not allowed to graduate because she was in school lunch debt. A lot of people chipped in just so she could graduate. Schools will do anything to get their money.

[@AbysmalGhost]

@loganwallofficalsniperwlfhaterBro is the type to like his own reply

[@AbysmalGhost]

Schools find a way to make life miserable

[@yeejay6396]

​@@AbysmalGhostPublic education is Archaic as hell.

[@therealopaartist]

@@AbysmalGhost I was miserable all my school life because I was horrendously bullied and not a single staff member stepped in. From fourth grade until my senior year. From everything from being excluded from things, to having my things vandalized or stolen, to having trash thrown at me. Zero tolerance only applies when you fight back. Then YOURE the one who gets punished.

[@missfortune8553]

That’s sickening, I’m glad people were nice enough to help though.

[@28ebdh3udnav]

I was denied entrance to school from summer break back when I was going to start my 9th grade freshman year. Reason being, I didn't pay my library "fines" I had for books I had "apparently" checked out. I could not enroll until I got the fines paid for. It was 50 bucks. My parents protested it since they argued that I never checked it out and never had the 2 books in my possession. Now, after my parents paid it, I was able to enroll. But, my dad fought that hard. He told them, "Investigate who checked it out since it wasn't my son and give me my money back." So they did, and then it turned out that a student had checked out those books with the school library card that was stolen from me. Technically stolen since I lost it at school and reported it. The administration saw the footage, looked it over it and came to the conclusion that it in fact was not me who checked it and my dad was owed the 50 bucks. End of it. Sure enough, the school didn't want to compensate their mistake and never paid us back. My dad went often but they said that there was nothing they could since the book fine was already paid for but they couldn't charge the student who checked it using my card because it was never on his record.

[@RevolverSAA51]

I'm with the school on this one. She ignored it for 4 years, her mother had to pay it, and she still doesnt care enough to go get it. She sure hit up that tik tok though.

[@necro3617]

bro its $15 💀💀

[@RevolverSAA51]

@@necro3617 Exactly... It's not like it's difficult.

[@bloodwolfgaming9269]

@necro3617 Exactly. She had 4 years to pay off that measly $15 she was charged after she damaged/lost school property but didn't. When I graduated in 2011, every student had to pay $15 just to be allowed to attend graduation.

[@JoeLigmaBalls]

@@necro3617 yeah dude it $15 😂 it ain’t some electrical bill

[@Random_Critter]

Imagine your diploma is held up because of 15$ dollars. Then again none of that money would even go into the school anyways.

[@michaelzaya]

Sure it's petty or not that deep, but at least they gave her something to walk off of stage with; and didn't just deny her and have her walk off empty-handed on stage in front of everybody like some schools have

[@goose2835]

i agree, they tried being discrete about it and i think that was somewhat respectable but they could have also just told her about the fines much earlier than on graduation day.

[@TrinhNguyen-sh4fj]

I heard most schools in my area don’t even give you your real diploma on stage. They just give you the cover with a note inside thanking you for participating in the ceremony. They give you the real diploma later. But the school I went was the only school that gave you your real diploma onstage.

[@keiibo9006]

@@TrinhNguyen-sh4fjyea I graduated last year and I did not get my real diploma until a week later

[@Vandicoup]

School could've reminded her to pay a few weeks before graduation to save her from the embarrassment.

[@kittycake713]

That’s what I’m saying. How did this even become news? It’s not a big deal at all. She still got to fully participate in the day.

[@ladyinpink707]

Schools have been doing this for years lol. Ask your parents or grandparents.

[@Archtops]

Yep…nothing new here.

[@Mythical4227]

Doesn’t mean it’s okay though

[@knux5796]

exactly. and i remember having classmates who owed $100+

[@cupidok2768]

THIS RULE WAS IN PLACE SO LONG AGO. WHY IS THIS NEWS WORTHY MATERIAL . WHY IS THIS GIRL PLAYING THE VICITM ANDTHIS CHANNEL MADE THIS A BIG DEAL AND MADE IT ON THE NEWS AND PROMOTE VICTIM MENTALITY. WHAT SI WRONG WITH THE DISINFORMATIONS NEWS

[@41052]

Doesn’t make it okay lol

[@overthemountain16]

Back when i graduated around the late 2000s. You were literally warned about checking for fees. Its like a graduation checklist. I feel confident she knew she owed the money and tried to be slick to not pay it. Unfortunately for her. The school made good and withheld her diploma.

[@TheRManProds]

GLAD THAT SHE EVENTUALLY GOT HER DIPLOMA!

[@saysay_unique]

This has been going on for years. I graduated high school in 1999 and if you did not pay book or school fines/bills you did not receive your diploma! Period! No matter how big or small!

[@yeanogaming1193]

That's how it was at my school but I never bought any library books and kept my Chromebook in excellent shape so I had no problem but some kids did

[@goofygirl1311]

Yes, exactly. Overdue book fines, equipment not returned, cafeteria charges - all have to be paid before you can get your diploma. Just because this girl thought that it was "no big deal" that she lost her laptop case does not mean that she was going to get out of paying for it. People need to raise their children better.

[@MoonFlowers0107]

SERIOUSLY. Idk why this is shocking or leaving people “disgusted”! It’s annoying but it is what it is 🤷‍♀️ At least they gave her something when she walked up there!

[@myjumpsuittakesmeshigh2022]

Yea but it was from her freshman year and she wasn’t even informed

[@goofygirl1311]

@@myjumpsuittakesmeshigh2022 If the school wasn't informing kids about fees and charges then more than half of her graduating class would not have been getting their diploma. This girl was likely reminded numerous times to pay that fee and she just forgot to do so.

[@goofygirl1311]

She was able to walk in her HS graduation. All she had to do was - finally - pay back the $15 that she owed to the school in order to have her diploma released to her. I'm not quite buying that the only notice that the school sent was an email to some unknown address. And this had been going on since her freshman year of HS! Where were her parents during all of this?

[@Lumaciu]

Still doesn't matter.

[@Dr.DisrespectFan918]

fr schools will hunt you down just for a dollar

[@mama.t]

The letter looks so freakin fake 🤣🤣 like come on now. But I’ll play along 🤪

[@kathleenfannin8486]

I guarantee she already knew she owed this money way before this. There's no way the school didn't let her family know she owed money. It's irresponsible. She should try that in college.

[@pendoreille9185]

I agree. In the old days this story would have been called “yellow journalism.”

[@Scarletwitch1634]

Well my school doesn't talk to my parents a lot of schools don't talk to the students parents she could've known but it's a 50/50 but it's not irresponsible

[@NeoCreo1]

That’s a rather hilariously naïve take on school bureaucracy

[@des7445]

she already said she knew...

[@Scarletwitch1634]

@@NeoCreo1 it's not niave because it probably wasn't her fault

[@jacob-ni6jr]

She deserves it tbh, she should of payed up. Teaching her responsibility. Good for her knowing what’s up

[@Vandicoup]

School could've reminded her to pay a few weeks before graduation to save her from the embarrassment.

[@warriorfb2010]

and teaching her that school in general, especially college is a total WASTE of money... Hopefully this high school has taught her a small lesson

[@andypham1636]

paid*

[@andypham1636]

@@Vandicoup this free was from her freshman year, so there was plenty of time to pay up

[@softprince1371]

Yeah...Teaches her school is a waste of money and time. If a school is going to cry over $15, why would you end up going to college when you'll owe wayyyy more. This literally helps students not pursue college since money is huge.

[@blakewright2000]

That’s how it is for everyone. I had to pay 2.75 to the school or I wouldn’t receive the diploma. It sucks but it’s been that way for years. Pay what you owe the school, problem solved

[@TrainsurfingMayhem]

I bet that school is gonna use that $2.75 for a subway ride

[@joey2560]

I think the problem was that the school never contacted her for what she owed and she only found out about the issue during graduation

[@teamev1398]

same, i had to pay $36

[@moneyguy2008]

You forgot to put a dollar sign in front of the 2.75. Didn't you learn anything in school?

[@switch12345678]

@@moneyguy2008 Thank you, dude. I don't know where these people will work later, but it will be difficult in the financial control of a company or in the public service.

[@UnkownIdiot1]

It's common. School needs to make sure their is no loss. I've had some people who had to pay $350 in band fees before graduation (could have paid it off throughout the 3 years)

[@NadiaGirl1]

That’s what I did in all the years I went to high school. If you did not pay all the fees and your in last year of high school you were not allowed to go to prom or the luncheon.

[@Vandicoup]

School could've reminded her to pay a few weeks before graduation to save her from the embarrassment.

[@andypham1636]

@@Vandicoup this fee is from her freshman year so she didn't have to wait until the end of senior year to pay

[@CSNGregory]

I always heard teachers tell students the last few weeks each year about any dues owed.. I couldn’t imagine owing the small amount of $15 at the end of freshman year and never hearing anything about it again until graduation day.

[@benvasilinda9729]

This is self accountability. She gets it and will learn from it.

[@Faiisbilingual]

But it's $15 though...

[@sephatu6521]

​​@@FaiisbilingualIt's just $15. And she owes it if the service was done and have yet been paid for.

[@Faiisbilingual]

@@sephatu6521 but I mean, they could have notified her earlier rather than just not give her it

[@mar-k7104]

It is absolutely NOT her fault?! She was a freshman and it was on both the school and her parents to inform one another. For her to not hear anything for 3+ years and be surprised like this is absolutely disgusting. She seems like a very chill funny person, but some teens have anxiety and even panic attacks, I personally would have been freaking out and not sure what to do. The fact that someone printed this paper out and put it in there, without so much as a email or phone call as warning is horrible.

[@courty1968]

@mar-k7104 bro you weird

[@pixelzebra8440]

I do agree that it would be nicer if they just emailed a week or two beforehand before graduation. Just a simple communication issue. She didn’t pay the fee originally so that part is her fault

[@mar-k7104]

@@pixelzebra8440 she was literally a child, and it was on her parents to follow through. As far as she knew it was taken care of already

[@SacredLover21]

The word disgusting has lots it’s meaning. Chill tf out. I had money owing as well. This isn’t anything new. Pay up, ur responsibility

[@mar-k7104]

@@SacredLover21 she’s obviously having fun with it but another student with a different outlook and different situation may have experienced a lot of stress over this. It could have ruined what was supposed to be a fun and celebratory occasion. Doing that to a young person in this way is disgusting IMO, you don’t have to agree but it’s not the wrong word

[@missybecka4701]

The same thing happened to me in the 80's from a library book I forgot to turn in. Even though it was my fault not returning a library book I was extremely upset and embarrassed because everyone got their diploma but me. I did get my diploma when I handed in the library book.

[@yeejay6396]

That's messed up

[@MorpheusASmith]

Seems fair to me. Nothing wrong with being held accountable for your own actions.

[@missybecka4701]

@MorpheusASmith I take full responsibility for not turning in the library book. I'm not trying to make excuses. Remembering a library book was the last thing on my mind. I was dealing with the death of my father and being in a new school. Can say I never forgot to return anything late after that..

[@ivanexell-uz4mv]

@@MorpheusASmith School shill alert 🚨

[@MorpheusASmith]

@@ivanexell-uz4mv - You're just too sensitive, bud. Real life doesn't care about feelings. Either grow up and act like an adult, or continue to let your mom wipe your ass for you, that's the way it is.

[@TheSh00ters]

For everyone talking about "embarrassment" from not getting your diploma, I think broadcasting this out there along with your face for such a non issue is way more embarrassing than having to pay back $15.

[@jjames943]

It’s todays victim mentality. She was the victim because the school withheld her diploma. Let’s not focus on the fact that it was withheld because she owed money. That’s not the point.

[@mussicanttakegreece7296]

Unfortunately for you history will not see It that way.

[@TheSh00ters]

@@mussicanttakegreece7296 what lol i couldn’t care less

[@TheSh00ters]

@@jjames943 that’s hilarious and on point

[@Random_Critter]

She legit took fill responsibility for it, she didn't play victim all she did was get annoyed that her diploma was worth 15$ dollars she thought her school life was over, nah she still 15$ dollar short 🤣🤣

[@adrianperez3088]

Yes. This is what happens in college as well. HS is simply preparing her for college and setting expectations.

[@Vandicoup]

School could've reminded her to pay a few weeks before graduation to save her from the embarrassment.

[@warriorfb2010]

Yeah, college is a WASTE. Has been for a long time.

[@AdequateName.]

​@@warriorfb2010hey you again😂😂

[@AdequateName.]

​@@Vandicoupshe embarrassed herself by reaching out to the news, she's either broke or stupid.

[@wisdomli9225]

School could've reminded her to pay a few weeks before graduation to save her from the embarrassment.

[@writtenhousesecurity6499]

I thought they were young adults . 🤔🤔

[@bleachtingz1768]

@@writtenhousesecurity6499 dude she was a freshman😭

[@writtenhousesecurity6499]

@@bleachtingz1768 ??? Why would she be getting a Diploma then ? That makes no sense 🤔🤔

[@bleachtingz1768]

@@writtenhousesecurity6499 wdym?😭 she was a freshman when the incident happened and i’m assuming she wasn’t reminded about it until she saw the paper

[@bluearesoldier]

​@@bleachtingz1768exactly. Stop assuming. Schools always remind you of missing items

[@cjv5690]

This is not a big deal...... TAKE CARE OF YOUR OBLIGATIONS!!! All schools do it!!!!

[@deva190]

Agree! Including colleges/universities. They will not release your transcript if you owe money.

[@Handlebrake2]

Imagine being a theif

[@ticklemebreathless1394]

My school did not do this, so please speak for your own school.

[@cjv5690]

@@ticklemebreathless1394 MOST schools do it. Get over yourself!

[@KevinNguyen1]

​@@cjv5690Most schools do it but not the way this school did. The controversy is about how the school handled it. Instead of notifying about an unpaid bill in advance, they decided to not tell the parents and stuck a piece of paper inside where the Diploma usually is. If she was warned before the graduation that she needs to pay or she won't get the Diploma, then this video would exist, nor this comment thread.

[@2-old-Forthischet]

High school is really over rated. Kids, please don't make a big thing about high school unless you're going to be a pro athlete. Move on and leave high school behind you.

[@physicals]

It’s not like they wouldn’t give her the diploma, she just needs to pay her fees, understandable…

[@chicodalianis8004]

welcome to adulthood, pay your bills

[@notyet....]

15 dollars?? That's crazy. That is such a petty move by the school

[@yeejay6396]

​@loganwallofficalsniperwlfhaterwtf you talking about?

[@excripto1]

She should pay the 15 dollars in pennies

[@drippyduckz]

@@excripto1genius

[@friedrice7876]

Reminds me of when my friend had to pay for a bottle of hand soap in elementary school for using too much of it

[@writtenhousesecurity6499]

Crushing the dreams of Gen Z is priceless . I would do it for free $0.00 🤗🤗

[@davegrohlloveryeah]

I just graduated this year and they reminded me like 100 times about fees that were due. I got a ton of emails and they said it over the announcements every day. I don’t know if I can believe that they never told her about it.

[@jonathanmcleod847]

It's common practice. My school gave us plenty of warnings and reminders that it's our responsibility to ensure we don't owe the school anything(this could mean homework assignments, library books, outstanding fees etc). They told us that if we expect the diploma, make sure you did all your work. Their reasoning for doing this was for preparation for university/college because there's no one in post secondary education that will hold our hands

[@Serenityblu23]

I remember one graduation class where teachers were pulling seniors out of graduation because they didn't meet the requirements to graduate.

[@Tis_I_SirJames]

I graduated in 1983 and they did the same thing if you didn't return library books.

[@1fruitpunchofficial]

It's really not that deep, people do anything to strip away happiness from others

[@jaydaniel2145]

Petty people 😂😂

[@Mike__B]

She didn't exactly look like any happiness was taken from her, then asked if she got her diploma "no I haven't gotten it yet, teehee, I just am lazy and forget things and got better stuff to do"

[@Philaunite9]

Maybe she should’ve payed the debt she was given weeks notice about

[@yohanesmy8354]

Well then don't get yourself into craps you can't handle. That's one way to get you're happiness taken away.

[@seanbrummfield448]

Keep that energy when you don't pay next month's car bill.😂 In this life you gotta pay back or yes, get stripped from happiness.

[@Shaipualena]

Well I mean...my school literally gave us slips if we had any school obligations to pay... they straight up told us if you don't pay you don't get your diploma. BUT I am glad she didn't let that $15 dollars stop her, from celebrating the fact she's graduating!

[@kovarian3919]

Lol, this reminds me when I graduated in late May this year. I had owed the school 200$ because my stupid self accidently ran into a wall while holding a Chromebook back in 2022. At first I had owed the school 250$ but they used my broken Chromebook to fix someone else's so they reduce it to 200$. Mind you they warned me that I didn't pay it off, I wouldn't graduate. I decide to pay off my debt towards the end of the year and I paid off my debt couple of weeks before graduation but still. Moral of the story is if you owe the school money, make sure you pay it or they will do this to you.

[@gasparma2316]

There’s nothing wrong about this. Big school districts do this I remember when I graduated they even warned us but also this just teaching the young generations to be responsible

[@jazlyn2721]

Your old so you wouldn’t know but imagine going to school for 18 years then you can’t go over 15$ … it isn’t that serious.

[@elektra3222]

@@jazlyn2721 Wow. You young people have a LOT to learn about life. SMDH.

[@Vandicoup]

School could've reminded her to pay a few weeks before graduation to save her from the embarrassment.

[@Kishngajurel]

​@@Vandicoupor this thug could've had integrity and not tried to weasel out of paying for school's property that she lost, she has enough money to do her hair and wear jewelry but not pay a $15 reimbursement? Ratchet

[@Flow-Fi-]

@@Kishngajurel Thug?

[@TheRManProds]

SCHOOLS SHOULD TELL PEOPLE IF THEY OWE ANY MONEY BEFORE THEY GRADUATE!

[@melissas1815]

I’m glad the school is teaching high schoolers financial responsibilities to pay up or face a consequence. It’s what gonna happen when they get out into the real world.

[@jbbyebye]

Lost her bag freshmen year, she had years to pay it...

[@jbbyebye]

@loganwallofficalsniperwlfhater what's oap?

[@J_Skib]

That’s how it works? If you own the school money you don’t get a diploma.

[@therealopaartist]

But $15 bucks? That’s a drop in a bucket to some schools. It seems like she wasn’t even aware of the fact she owed money until the last minute.

[@AbysmalGhost]

@@therealopaartistSchools will resort to many measures to make sure they get as much money as possible

[@guccithunder6136]

You ask ‘That’s how it works?’ And then you proceed to answer your own Question 🧐

[@therealopaartist]

@@me________ some schools don’t do that. I clearly stated that she was probably unaware of any outstanding fees until the last minute.

[@missfortune8553]

@@guccithunder6136 I’m going to assume English isn’t your first language, or you did poorly in that class. Context clues. It wasn’t an actual question for anyone to answer. The question mark here implies confusion.

[@ChoongYeow]

The school teaching her a final lesson on responsibility and attention to details. Great school.

[@dylbeentheplotagonistandra2811]

My high school didn’t let anyone walk the stage or participate in any senior activities if they owned any debt to the school(overdue library books or textbooks, overdue Chromebook and/or charger). In all honesty that’s a better way to handle it than letting a student get embarrassed on the stage when they see that instead of a diploma, there’s a receipt saying they have to pay X amount of money until they can get their diploma. This method definitely works for my school as it incentivizes students to turn in their library books, textbooks, and Chromebooks on time. When my dad was in high school, he knew someone that was not eligible to graduate because failed senior English. So, instead of a diploma, that guy got a paper that said “report to summer school to retake senior English.” But my school does not do that either, often times they send someone to continuation high school before they have to take a fifth year and they often graduate on time from the continuation high school

[@Hope_this_is_just_a_dream1994]

10 years out of high school this year. I wasn't allowed to walk at my graduation because I didn't go to our schools final award ceremony 2 weeks before graduation. I went to see a sick family member instead. They told me 3 days before we were set to walk, the school administrator/guidance counselor told me since I couldn't be bothered to show up for the rest of my classes achievements, not to bother coming to the graduation. Even though I paid $200 or more on my cap and gown. I wasn't the only one they did this to. Wish I had gotten a recording of this moment. That's sorry though, withholding something you spent most of your life going to school for over $15. The educational system only cares about that money.

[@PatrioticKoreanAmerican]

It's always important to be responsible for your belongings, but denying a diploma because of this is ridiculous! First!

[@gasparvillalba7435]

She's going to grow up to be that person that racks up massive amounts of credit card debt and just files for bankruptcy.

[@courty1968]

@PatrioticKoreanAmerican it’s very simple. No $15, no diploma

[@switch12345678]

@@courty1968 And where will this girl work later? Should an employer let her work at the cash register?

[@courty1968]

@@switch12345678 this girl will work where she can work

[@nazomius7033]

@@gasparvillalba7435Oh because you know what kind of person she is for one mistake, right? Stop being braindead

[@Sweetheartbabez]

I understand the fee. What I don’t understand is why they didn’t they let her know before graduation?????? They knew she was graduating and they have grad rehearsals. So why wait till the last minute?? They could have told her before to remind her to pay or no diploma. Weird.

[@Asalalisha]

Her and I graduated the same day from the same high school. I can guarantee that for almost a month every morning they told us if we don’t pay our fees, we will not receive our diploma. She knew exactly what will happen or maybe she just wanted some drama.

[@TOPLEVEL1]

15 dollars whole dollars 😂

[@savannahreed3186]

At my hs they wouldn't even let people walk in the graduation ceremony if they owed the school money (at least from what I can remember). I actually wish my school did this instead of straight up refusing to let people participate.

[@youngmasterzhi]

I heard of a university student who didn’t pay for a parking ticket for over 20 years. It was only after he graduated from university and met up with an old friend years later that he was reminded about the ticket, and went back to his old institution to pay it back

[@user-cw3wm9lx7w]

this is hillarious.

[@rbdb8953]

You know it's almost guaranteed that they informed her in advance. She's blessed they let her walk.

[@UlricGrim]

Why is this news? Just pay the $15 you owe to the school.

[@nathanalexander28]

Beyond bizarre that this a news story…

[@six4330]

Good for the school 👏🏽 She got so many reminders to pay for the laptop bag. This teaches responsibility

[@seanbrummfield448]

Yep. And it kills me half the comments berate the school. Like, do these people know this is a part of life? Same thing for cars, and places to stay. 😂 We pay our bills and debts so they won't take it from us and so we wouldn't decimate our credits. That's an agreement. Duh.😂

[@astrid-fp]

um hello??? I think paying for cars and houses is very different from getting a diploma. you shouldn’t even be paying for a diploma, you should be earning it via completion of high school

[@1saamor897]

@@astrid-fpYou definitely haven’t graduated yet. Legit after graduating you don’t gaf bout your diploma 😂

[@AdequateName.]

​@@astrid-fpshe broke a computer and had to pay a very small portion of the repairs, how is it wrong for her to pay this small %?

[@cottonhxney]

⁠@@astrid-fpit’s not paying for a diploma, it’s paying for the cost of education lol. Every other student who got a diploma either didn’t owe anything to the school or paid the price of their last book or smth. It’s a lesson in communication and responsibility 💀 it’s been like this for decades. Just wait till college when you gotta pay to reserve a spot in the commencement ceremony, the attire, and pay to get your diploma.

[@Silenceaverted]

I’ve been through something similar. My high school told me I forgot to turn in a book (it was in the classroom for said class) and wasted two days doing the rehearsal and graduation, then waiting in a line after the ceremony to not get my diploma

[@Kaiwo983]

From my understanding schools have always done this. It almost happened to me for missing library books. I remember being told, even in elementary school, “you won’t be allowed to graduate if you owe the school money”.. these things can definitely sneak up on you.. quite annoying.

[@petersu5364]

TBH, there're people that will "forget" about anything from parking tickets to tuition even in colleges. When I was a student and broke, I also wanted to "forget" about those too, but I didn't knowing this could happen

[@Taniellejones]

I feel like that’s pretty common with schools. At my school you weren’t able to walk at graduation if you owed money or you had detention/suspension hours to make up.

[@Vandicoup]

School could've reminded her to pay a few weeks before graduation to save her from the embarrassment.

[@Taniellejones]

@@Vandicoupif you watch the video she does say there was an email sent to her parents about the missing laptop bag and admits that it’s her fault. At least the school let her walk At graduation and didn’t take that away from her.

[@BrokeDribbler]

Ikr people in these comments think this is outrageous or something but to be honest it's a normal thing that isn't necessarily negative its just holding people accountable.

[@shelbyden23]

They literally tell you before you graduate that you have to pay any fees. I double checked and asked my children TO MAKE SURE NOTHING WAS DUE. Nothing to see here folks.

[@april-m5837]

Good lesson for later in life. Like the young lady said, she should have remembered to pay. The school did not banned her from walking and they just reminded her of her responsibility.

[@dominiquethomas5436]

Normally the school will tell you if you owe way before graduation.

[@aguy481]

They probably did

[@ivanchico7197]

Dont feel bad for her that’s something all our teachers tell us before going into high school

[@Vandicoup]

School could've reminded her to pay a few weeks before graduation to save her from the embarrassment.

[@N0tCreat1ve34]

Pettiness: *Exists* This school: “Yes.”

[@fbbWaddell]

I remember when I was about to get my bachelor's degree. They told me a week beforehand that I owed $20 for a book I lost freshman year that I completely forgot about and that they never brought up beforehand. I paid it ASAP, but still. Why didn't they remind me of this years beforehand.

[@Soopy.19618]

Her fault for not paying the school back and not keeping track of her stuff.

[@PaboHyunjin]

She literally said that

[@stfu6331]

@@PaboHyunjin and she wanted to get views lmao

[@allMinabe]

Yup, why make a video about owing the school.

[@courty1968]

@@allMinabebro Inside Edition makes a lot of unnecessary videos

[@itsrobloxhere]

School's fault for not letting her know before the graduation

[@goldengaming1019]

For everyone hating on the school for doing this, the schools have been doing this for years. They make it clear that if you owe any amount your diploma will be held, they even have days where you can pay anything you owe for a straight week before you graduate, this isn’t on the school it’s on her for not paying it.

[@prettypoppin_552]

Still messed up. She earned that diploma so they shouldn't be able to withhold it but at least she was allowed to walk at her graduation

[@TxHoneyBee]

@@prettypoppin_552 You must be an entitled Gen Z. Typical.

[@nazomius7033]

@@prettypoppin_552Responsibility is very important

[@bluebirdbeetle1202]

Two of my kids have recently graduated. I don't know how her school does it, but my kids didn't get their diplomas when they walked, either. *No one* did. Everyone received an empty case, and you had to go pick it up at a later date. So the fact that she didn't get her diploma at that very moment, to me, isn't really that big of a deal. The school didn't prevent her from walking, they just reminded her that she owes a debt. No big deal. And I have a really hard time believing that she wasn't given a heads up. We were warned months in advance that all debts had to be paid, and exactly how much we owed. She knew.

[@Boo-ro7vo]

Smh, I know a school that held someone’s transcript stopping them from college just because they owed a little money, and they lost the scholarship so it cost their parent a lot of money

[@auntiem873]

When I graduated from high school back in the 80’s, the teachers warned us students to check to make sure we didn’t owe anything or we will not get our diploma. When my son graduated I was there when all his books and school property was turned in. I waited an hour and asked how much I owed so that he would get his diploma. My son lost a text book 3 days before and I figured I was going to have to pay $100.00 for the text book and I was ready. Only to be told someone had turned it in. I was laughing cause I figured someone took his book cause they lost theirs. They didn’t know the books have a bar code on them that tells you who they were assigned to. 🤣🤣

[@prettypoppin_552]

They tried to tell me I owed for a book that I knew I returned. Unfortunately I didn't have any proof. It worked out in the end though because they found the book but I just thought it was wild that if it hadn't been found in time or my parents didn't pay, they would've withheld my diploma and possibly denied my participation in the ceremony over somebody else's error. And I was at the top of my graduating class too.

[@auntiem873]

@@prettypoppin_552, it’s a hard lesson to learn but I’m sure you make sure people sign off on the paperwork for things now. Checking books back in the public library, I always call the next day to make sure it has that the item was returned. Once you walk away, it hard to get people to sign off on the paperwork and prove you did all the right things. Luckily someone doubled checked the books and marked it that it was returned.

[@kaylengallant1141]

It's on her because the school warns you if you don't pay your fee you won't get your diploma so that's her fault she should of just paid

[@meahdahlgren6537]

❤

[@dee-wc2hd]

Back at my school, we have what we call clearance where we need to go to different departments and have them signed the paper proof that we don't owe them any money or we already returned all books we borrowed, etc. So everything is good and ready on graduation day.

[@warriorsorb1111]

What confuses me is why they waited until graduation to tell her that when they could've told her much sooner.

[@denysedenyse4070]

Why couldn't they (school administraton) have said something to her before graduation? 😠

[@me________]

She lost it freshman year and had years to pay the $15…

[@courty1968]

@denysedneysd4070 idk

[@denysedenyse4070]

@@me________ And she forgot about it, unlike the school did. So the SCHOOL remembered and could have told her way before graduation. It clearly popped up in the system soooooo tell her.

[@me________]

@@denysedenyse4070 it was in the system since it was flagged missing…

[@cathycaro6499]

I totally relate. I apparently owe $5k to my school. Only way I knew this is because the school withheld my Senior year book. I also don’t have my diploma from college because apparently I owe them when I also have financial aid money missing from them. Soooo yeah

[@KeViN-De-Belgium]

WHAT YOU DO FOR YOU TO OWE YOUR SCHOOL 5k?

[@aguy481]

You deserved that tbh

[@cathycaro6499]

@@KeViN-De-Belgium don’t know. I only went to high school focusing on my classes and extracurriculars like every other kid. The school said I could graduate, but my little brother in elementary could no longer attend the following year. I guess we couldn’t afford it anymore.

[@gracie3060]

same thing happened to my sister! and they didn’t tell her about it either, her diploma cover was empty. she still doesn’t have it over a year later.

[@lovinglife7893]

Glad she said its my fault. She has learned a valuable life lesson . Nothing in life is free.

[@ngiotsas7757]

Well, that’s just scummy that the school did that

[@poopoogamer1232]

So you support stealing?

[@romeoelopez24]

I like how she turned it to something positive.

[@guadalupemontoya1819]

Ugh, I’ve been here. My university held my diploma because I supposedly needed to do an exit interview on a specific loan. But they didn’t put the hold on until after the graduation ceremony, they never sent me the link for the exit interview, and as it turns out, I didn’t even need to do it because I had payed off that loan. My biggest problem was that I didn’t get a notification that they were holding the diploma because I checked before the ceremony to make sure I was completely eligible and they informed everyone we would get them by mail in 4-6 weeks. If I didn’t go in to see what my final credit transfers would look like, I would never had known. At least mine was administrative error; her situation with the huge pink slip feels petty.

[@mentalfloss46]

No surprise at all. My first college held my transcript for ransom until I returned a book that I forgot to return lol. That was 8 years after as well.

[@sunnystarryskies5910]

At least it's a book & not the book with a fee. I forgot to return 3 books to my old town's local library. The books were: "Spot's Big Book of Words", a berenstain bears easter book (not sure which one), and "If You Take A Mouse To School". Preschooler me forgot to return them, but I still had the books. So my "debt" went away after giving them back.

[@fastfoodpitstops]

It's not uncommon for an institution to hold something back belonging to you when they want something you have that belongs to them. Seems like a good life lesson the school is teaching.

[@benfrank9622]

Dude, this school is super petty. I know some schools being petty but this takes the cake. Just warn her and sue if necessary.

[@mikekanner2156]

It’s like she was trying to steal the $15.00 like the school would forget all about it

[@retrogaming4911]

Wow, talk about being petty !!! It's like telling soon to me married couple on their wedding night that we're not going deliver your wedding cake until you pay $20 for the extra strawberries.

[@aguy481]

That's a good reason to not bring the cake

[@GorillaWithAPhone]

15 dollars? This school can screw all the way off with that.

[@nia8634]

I was denied my hs diploma too and charged $200 for the same thing. They threaten to not let me walk unless I paid.

[@sultanhusnoo8552]

So sorry for her. But its not unheard of. Im most shocked that her school did not let her know about the fee earlier. For me i had a fine at the library of my Uni for returning a book a day past due date when I was in first year. It was like half a dollar fine but we did get letters telling us to pay everything first before graduation date or else they wud withhold our certif. I paid the fine and got my degree.

[@Cyaner]

its crazy how you can be made to owe a school when you're forced to attend it. that's wild, isn't it?

[@kittyearsheadbands8810]

She lost her laptop bag did the school make her lose it?

[@TrinhNguyen-sh4fj]

I don’t think any school ever forces you to attend the graduation ceremony at all. Going or not is a choice. At my school, you had to go to rehearsal in order to participate in the ceremony.

[@TheSh00ters]

Have you thought about what life would be like if you never received a school education? How dumb one might be?

[@AdequateName.]

She broke a computer they let her borrow....maybe teach your kids responsibility lol

[@AdequateName.]

​@@kittyearsheadbands8810it says laptop repair fee

[@TheMedicatedArtist]

At my high school, all athletes’ letterman jackets were paid for (so long as they played a sport for a minimum of three years). We could pay for extra stuff like embroidered names and sailor collars. I got my name embroidered for $10. When the jackets came in, I forgot to pay the fee. After the senior picnic where the athletes got their jackets, I was shocked to see my jacket had my name embroidered. I asked the principal and she told me the assistant principal paid for it. Because it was $10 and that’s practically nothing. And this was in 2016.

[@D4YT0N4]

Schools hound you for money but wont do anything about bullies

[@patriclo9509]

$15 X 500 kids(guessing class size) would be $7,500. It’s the school’s last chance to get the money. When I was working at a school, the district had $90,000 owed for school lunches. It all adds up. Life lesson learned, she’ll stay on top of things in life. Priceless!

[@Deadline_83930]

She’s so positive and happy, honestly wish I could be that way but I’m not, I’m just not. I grew up getting screwed over by others and having to be assertive and standing up for myself all the time. But really, I’m glad she’s not getting herself worked up and living stress-free

[@juliaccartwright]

This was basically my childhood as well :(. It’s unfortunate how anxious and defensive I am.

[@1saamor897]

then stop venting and stand up for yourself

[@kuatojones6950]

I remember all the announcements about paying stuff off by the end of the school year, always wondered what happended if you didnt pay.

[@legostar8142]

I remember my school warning me before graduation of a book I lost when I was in 2nd grade. They said you won’t graduate until I pay the $10

[@CTorres_1993]

You would think this would have been brought up to her before graduation day. My high school informed everyone before senior finals week, to give people two weeks before graduation, if they had any outstanding charges.

[@courty1968]

Well some weird schools don’t do that

[@BrokeDribbler]

@@courty1968 Or she's just lying

[@andypham1636]

considering that this fee was from her freshman year, she had plenty of time to pay

[@courty1968]

@@BrokeDribbler maybe, I mean the fact that she forgot kinda says something

[@DOUBLE0SEVUN]

Happened to me for supposedly damaging a book that was already given to me torn up to begin with back in sophomore year. I thought it was petty but didn’t think it was news worthy thought lmao

[@MaryBethPetra]

This almost happened to me at MTSU in 1989...the library told me that I had never turned in 3 books after writing a book report. I went to the shelves and looked them up...somebody had changed the Dewey Decimal system numbers on them. This happened just 2 weeks before my graduation. Sheesh.

[@sierrapeaks]

Just pay the $15, what’s the big deal, every school has this rule

[@alejandrabrito4972]

With my 3 older kids, I went up to the high schools and asked if they owed any money so I can pay and they can graduate with no problems.

[@RagingBullX89]

You still attended the graduation, went up on stage and did the whole hoopla, what's the problem? Yeah so you owe money, pay up and you get your diploma.

[@MsLovestruckAngel]

Really?.. just give them the $15 this is not news