Grocery Store Publix Censored 'Summa Cum Laude' Graduation Cake

Graduation can be one of the biggest moments in some young people’s life, so South Carolina mom Cara Koscinski ordered a special cake to celebrate the occasion.

Koscinski wanted the cake to highlight her son’s success as a student and his 4.79 GPA. Unfortunately, the grocery store Publix had a three letter problem with her request to have “Congrats Jacob! Summa Cum Laude class of 2018″ written in icing on the cake.

After picking up the cake, Koscinski realized that Publix decided to bleep out the word “cum” using three dashes, because the store considered the word profane. It’s understandable why the family establishment may not want to encourage anyone putting sexual language on cakes, but in this context “cum” is Latin for “with,” not a slang sex term. Koscinski shared her experience in a viral Facebook post on Sunday, as theWashington Postreported.

“Publix refused to write the words Summa Cum Laude because I was using ‘profanity’!” Koscinski wrote. “They put three dashes instead of the word!”

“Shame on you Publix for turning an innocent Latin phrase into a total embarrassment for having to explain to my son and others (including my 70 year old mother) about this joke of a cake,” she continued. “My son was humiliated!!! I seriously couldn’t make this crap up!!!!”

Koscinski told the Post she clarified in her order that “Summa Cum Laude,” means “with the highest distinction.”

“It was unbelievable. I ordered the special graduation edition cake,” she said. “I can’t believe I’m the first one to ever write ‘Summa Cum Laude’ on a cake.”

Publix did end up giving Koscinski a $70 refund and a gift card following the mistake, but she turned down the store’s offer to make a whole new cake. “You only graduate once,” she said.