The families of students from two Tennessee high schools have expressed their anger at the decision made to go ahead with an outdoor graduation ceremony despite a torrential downpour. Students at Centennial HS and Franklin HS had their memories of graduation ruined as they sat for hours in the miserable weather, some parents claimed it was downright dangerous.
What is typically meant to be a joyous day for students was marred by the grey clouds and constant downpour which soaked everyone in attendance through to the bone. Footage shows students looking like drowned rats with their soggy graduation gowns and caps. It’s probably a far cry from the bright and cheery ceremony many of them pictured.
Speaking to WSMV 4, Victoria Burls, a mother of one of the students, told the outlet, “As soon as they started speaking, it started pouring.” While the schools can’t control the weather they could have taken more action to prevent putting the students in such a situation. Looking at the local weather reports and being prepared to re-schedule the ceremony or move it inside could have prevented these students from having their graduation ruined.
Tennessee schools face backlash
This was more than just a bit of water, in fact, some parents argued that it was downright dangerous to continue with the graduation. “I was like nervous someone was going to slip and fall down the bleachers, like all the elderly people,” Burls stated. The weather was so atrocious that Burls’ daughter told her she was already planning to redo her graduation photos elsewhere.
Solid preparation to life after high school. 🥳 pic.twitter.com/yNsla0CQC9
— Lucy (@TheLucyShow1) May 23, 2026
Britney Garner, another parent whose daughter spent hours getting ready for the ceremony said she believes that the school should offer students the chance to redo the whole thing.
The rain also forced parts of the ceremony to be scrapped completely including a planned moment of silence for a student who lost their life last year.
Michelle Wyatt, the godmother of a centennial graduate who sang the national anthem at the ceremony also expressed concern for the elderly who she claims were “put in danger because of the weather.” After the whole botched graduation Wyatt took to social media to vent “Centennial High School is totally OUT OF ORDER!!! These children deserved to have a graduation!!!!!”
Even former Georgia Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene addressed the school’s monumental mistake stating “The school should have organized graduation indoors.” She added that “their parents are tax payers that fund the school and administrator’s salaries.”
The situation was acknowledged by Williamson County School Superintendent Jason Golden although he defended both Tennessee high schools claiming families prefer to celebrate on campus. That might be true, but given the weather conditions they probably would have accepted an alternative arrangement in this case.
