Grocery omits Latin word due to its similarity to profanity

A South Carolina family is moving on after an unexpected omission on a cake had them laughing during their son's graduation party.

Jacob Koscinski graduated Saturday from his Christian-based home-schooling program in a suburb of Charleston.

His family was extremely proud of him not only graduating, but also graduating with highest honors, widely-known in Latin as "Summa Cum Laude."

Summa Cum Laude translates as “with the highest distinction.” To honor this achievement, his family went online and ordered a sheet cake from the nearby grocery store, Publix, for his graduation party.

His mom, Cara Koscinski, entered the phrase she wanted on the icing: "Congrats Jacob! Summa Cum Laude Class of 2018."

But when she entered the request online, she told ABC affiliate WCIV the bakery website warned her that profane language would not be included on the cake. So, Cara Koscinski said she clarified the request in the online form's instructions field.

She explained on the form that "Summa Cum Laude" was a Latin phrase.

Her efforts were in vain.

When her husband picked up the cake, he didn't initially notice that Publix had omitted the middle Latin word and replaced it with hyphens.

"We were all standing there waiting to see it, and when we opened it, it was a huge shock to all of us," Cara Koscinski told WCIV.

Graduate Jacob Koscinski said it was "frustrating and humiliating" that Publix did this.

"I had to explain to my friends and family, like, what that meant," he told WCIV. "And they were giggling uncontrollably. At least my friends were."

The Koscinskis said they contacted Publix, and that the store manager apologized and issued the family a refund for the misstep.

On Tuesday, Publix released a statement to ABC News, saying that "Satisfying our customers is our top priority.

"You can feel confident that this situation has been addressed, and the appropriate business areas and leaders are involved."

"It's fine for us to be compensated for the cake," Mrs. Koscinski told WCIV. "We're just happy that our son graduated school and has a bright future."

The younger Koscinski plans to major in pre-med while attending Wingate University in the fall.