Really, This Happened in America?

I'm used to reading about some sort of morality offense in one of the Arab nations, but those nations base their laws on their religion. So, whether we agree or disagree, think it's outrageous, or too strict or whatever, the laws are the laws of that nation and the citizens are aware of those laws, presumably before they are broken. Now, here I read in some city in Maine, a young man was not given his diploma because when his name was called, he stood and took a bow and blew a kiss toward his family, specifically his mother. The principal then chose to humiliate him in front of the crowd and sent him back to his seat WITHOUT his diploma. I personally find this ridiculous, on the part of the educator, but it raised more concerns than that. The educator is already where they are in life, with apparently just a control issue or two, so I really am not so concerned with that individual. But what has this taught the young man. He wasn't making out with his girl-friend nor did he drop his gown to streak the commencement, he blew a kiss to his mother. Considering the young man had completed 12 years of school, 13 including kindergarten and a single kiss that made no human contact at all, now precludes him from receiving what he earned, indicates our education system is an even bigger mockery than I had already thought. If he was going to be humiliated and denied what he had already earned, I think a number of kids would have wished they'd have done something more outrageous and show stopping. This is just one more example in American headlines in which the young people are literally being goaded to make the crime match the punishment. I truly hope his mother manages to obtain his transcript and the history around his lack of a diploma. It really made me wonder, when we read the headlines about kids that get violent at school, if it's peer pressure or outrageous examples of control? I'm sure the superintendent or the school board will set things right, but this young man's moment has passed and by my perspective, his principal was much more disorderly than any student could have been. And when the educator pulled this ridiculous display of control, the young man simply went back to his seat. He's not even my son, and I'm proud of him!
Thy father and thy mother shall be glad, and she that bare thee shall rejoice. a Proverb