Latoya Robinson says school officials are refusing to announce her daughter’s name Kimora Robinson at graduation, despite the teen earning enough credits before her fatal crash.
WINTERVILLE, N.C. — A Pitt County mother says her 17-year-old daughter, who was killed in a car crash while leaving school grounds last fall, will not have her name announced at graduation — a decision she describes as “hurtful,” “distasteful” and “disgusting.”
In a video posted to Instagram, Latoya Robinson said officials at South Central High School and the Pitt County school district have declined to recognize her daughter, Kimora Ashanti Robinson, during commencement ceremonies scheduled for June 7, 2026.
Kimora, 17, died on October 7, 2025, after attempting to turn left onto Forlines Road from the high school parking lot in Winterville.
According to the North Carolina State Highway Patrol, her vehicle was struck by a westbound car at approximately 6:09 p.m. She was pronounced dead at the scene. The other driver was transported to ECU Health Medical Center with serious but non-life-threatening injuries. No charges have been filed.
South Central High School Student Kimora Robinson Tragically Killed In Car Crash
“They’re Refusing to Say Her Name”
In her video, Ms. Robinson said she has met with the school’s principal, spoken with someone in the superintendent’s office and contacted a school board member. She said the response has remained the same.
“With that being said, I’ve had a meeting with the principal, I’ve spoken to someone in the superintendent’s office, and I’ve spoken to a board member – and it seems like everybody is back in the same decision,” Ms. Robinson said. “They’re refusing to say her name at graduation for whatever reason, umm. which is hurtful.”
She added that efforts to honor her daughter within the school community have come from coaches and students — “not because of the principal” and “not because of the district.”
Kimora had earned enough academic credits to graduate last year, her mother said, but chose to remain enrolled to continue participating in dance.
“She only had dance, that’s the only thing she went to school for,” Ms. Robinson said in the video. “And they don’t want to say her name, not sure what the reason is – it’s up to the principal which it shouldn’t be up to one person to decide if they want to say her name or not.”
Ms. Robinson described her daughter as a high-achieving student.
“She had a 3.9 gpa, umm had enough credits to graduate, in the beta club, in the national honor’s society and they’re still refusing to say her name,” she said. “I don’t expect no one to feel the way I feel about my child before or after death, I don’t want no special treatment for her at all – it’s something that she earned, she earned that while she was here.”
She also expressed frustration over what she characterized as inconsistent treatment.
“I’m going to say this, if you know you know. If it was the other way around, it wouldn’t have been no meetings, it wouldn’t have been no phone calls, no discussions, it wouldn’t have even been a topic,” she said. “But I’m glad I no longer have to deal with Pitt County at all for anything.”
Ms. Robinson said she would not attend the graduation ceremony.
“If she was here you would’ve had to say her name, so this is the way I feel however it’s the truth,” she said. “The fake crying, news clips all that was fake to me because now I’m seeing how you really feel and it’s different because my child died at your school, she stayed at your school to dance – she died at your school after practice trying to dance, with that being said I won’t be attending graduation.”
She described the school’s handling of the matter as “distasteful” and “disgusting the way they are going about things.”
Officials with Pitt County Schools have not publicly detailed the reasoning behind the decision regarding graduation recognition. It is unclear whether district policy governs the announcement of deceased students during commencement ceremonies.
Graduation for South Central High School is scheduled for June 7, 2026.
17 thoughts on “Mother Says Pitt County School Wont Honor Daughter Kimora Robinson at Graduation”
Say her name, Kimora Robinson at graduation 👨🏽🎓!!!!!!
Sounds like a law suit against the DOT and the school. I’m not understanding, Beaufort County announces their students whether they did good in school or not. Not understanding Pitt County school sounds like they hiding something. Get you a lawyer and not one from Pitt County. My condolences and prayers goes out to the mother and father.
I STAND 10 TOES DOWN WITH THE MOTHER .
We will.Scream her name at graduation and make them acknowledge her.
Agreed. Good question. I Love it. Put her name right in alphabetical order and when her time comes everybody jump up and scream her name. They have some nerve.
This child should not only be acknowledged in the graduation but she should have her mother walk and receive her diploma. The school and board to do anything less is against the values of everything American. This young lady should be held on a pedestal and praised for her achievements. I never finished highschool, she not was doing that at the top level! For someone to just decide no we are not doing this is dumbfounding, if it were their child would that still be the rock they stand on ?
High schools up in New York honor all students they have passed on before their commencement ceremony. They also have a seat reserved with their gown and a huge picture in the seat. That’s how you do it. I am appalled that the same respect is not given in the south mmmmmm ? Let that simmer…….
Just say her name and give her mother all her achievements, with a 3.9 average she deserves a lot
Say her name…..Kimora Robinson!!!!!
As a Former Educator and as a Parent, When a Child dedicate 12 years to a School and that Student demonstrated not only good Academic performance and her God given abilities, and Talents. Then the least they should do is recognize her accomplishments. I will say this for her Mother which is Truth!! If this Student was White it wouldn’t be a discussion!!
But if the Superintendent and School Board doesn’t step in and correct Wrong Behavior or Actions of a Hired Administrator who is apparently handling this situation badly, Then as her Mother I would take any Legal actions!!
That’s would insure or put in Stone that no deceased student of any Race for whatever reason would absolutely not to be Recognized from this Day forward at any School Event!!
Let’s make it all equal across the board!!!
Everyone that knows this child’s name should be recognized just call:
Dr. Steve M. Lassiter, Jr.
Superintendent
1717 West Fifth Street
Greenville, NC 27834
(252) 830-4264
lassits@pitt.k12.nc.us
PUSH TO DO THE RIGHT THING!!!
Out of Love and Respect
🙏🏽 The Mom needs this.
#KIMORAROBINSON
The Principal doesn’t have the final say.
I just left a question for the superintendent himself. Other students who have passed away whether tragically or naturally have been memorialized here in Pitt County. So why she be treated any differently is my question. I want to know what the problem is.
I’m calling as well. This hurts my heart. Sounds like a model student! Who died on your campus!! Why would you not want to honor this request as the last tribute you can pay to her friends and family???
I do not see any markers on this road indicating this is a school zone. She needs to sue NC DOT and the school board for failing to apply restrictions to prevent in accident. That’s why they don’t want to say her name they are responsible for her untimely death. Have the principal fired the superintendent and name the whole damn school after her!
Wow! That sounds like negligence to me!! I would think that’s state law to mark school zones!!
This is wrong. I agree with the mother.
This is SOOOO DisHearten this student loss her life, at school well leaving Practice or school in generally. And the High School is Not going to acknowledge her at Graduation.
I Hope her Mother or Father Dont give Up. Go to the Superintendent if that Don’t work. Go above him or over her. Hopefully they can get a Petition going and they will Acknowledge her at Graduation.