High school valedictorian denied diploma over graduation speech

[Francis]

Ok I have been following this for a bit and think the extreme has been applied here IMO.. This young girl was a model student and so she was chosen the Valedictorian to give her speech at her High School Graduation Ceremony.

Now I could understand if she had changed 10% or the substance of the speech that her principal would be totally peeved off but is it really fair for them to withhold her diploma for changing the word "heck" to "hell" ?

http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/lookout/valedictorian-denied-diploma-hell-apology-141901681.html

 

[hart]

I've been reading about this too. This is ridiculous. As one reader said I can understand if they didn't want to give it to her because her speech was based on Twlht, but because she said Hell instead of Heck? (Kidding 'bout Twlight by the way). I think the Administrator needs to gets the Stick from up his ass AND take some grammar lessons.

 

[porterjack]

what is the impact of not having a diploma, given we have public record that she was 4.0 grade student?

will she have a hard time getting into college?

 

[Dana]

That's bogus. Not that your diploma matters in the grand scheme of things. Good for her!

 

[Joe the meek]

Her not getting her sheet of paper (diploma) will mean nothing to either her or the school.

I can actually see the schools point if the girl broke a school policy and the word "hell" is on a list of words not to be used. The girl changed what she said as compared to what she submitted. People tend to forget that point.

No different here than when those bozo's were kicked out of their kids graduation for breaking the rules and were making to much noise IMO.

 

[Francis]

It's ridiculous when the principal and administrators probably went home and probably said we will teach that little fu..en bi..h to f..k with us..

Yes of course I am "assuming" they did this but we are talking about asswipes that are withholding a kids diploma. She worked most of her youth life for getting straight "A" and they will not give it to her due to one word :mad.

Show me one person in this world who has never used a word in a strong feeling of emotion and to be honest the word hell would not be one I would consider exactly strong.

I could understand if she went on a rant about the school, using extreme profanity and trashing everyone, throwing the F word and B word with a few C words around but this was not the case.. She deviated once altering the word "Heck" to "Hell"..

Give me a break.. This is a case of someone abusing their "principal" powers.. Owwww great man..

 

[porterjack]

Her not getting her sheet of paper (diploma) will mean nothing to either her or the school.

I can actually see the schools point if the girl broke a school policy and the word "hell" is on a list of words not to be used. The girl changed what she said as compared to what she submitted. People tend to forget that point.

No different here than when those bozo's were kicked out of their kids graduation for breaking the rules and were making to much noise IMO.

based on this - fuck her , no diploma

 

[Francis]

Her not getting her sheet of paper (diploma) will mean nothing to either her or the school.

I can actually see the schools point if the girl broke a school policy and the word "hell" is on a list of words not to be used. The girl changed what she said as compared to what she submitted. People tend to forget that point.

No different here than when those bozo's were kicked out of their kids graduation for breaking the rules and were making to much noise IMO.

Agreed but it's still stupid.. What next, withholding marks ?

 

[Kakapo Dundee]

Petty behaviour from those who are supposed to demonstrate maturity.

 

[porterjack]

Petty behaviour from those who are supposed to demonstrate maturity.

yeah and the school were just as
bad

 

[Dana]

This is just another reason why God should not play a role in public schools. That's the only reason conceivable as to why such a fuss is held over the word Hell.

 

[Joe the meek]

Agreed but it's still stupid.. What next, withholding marks ?

I didn't say it wasn't stupid.

However, does anyone here know what the school rules were pertaining to the graduation speech? I bet the girl did.

I read she changed the wording at the last minute due to her friends telling her to do so. Fact is, she supplied the school what she was going to say, and intentionally changed the wording during the speech without letting the school know. The fact that she had some reservation about changing the wording gives me the impression that she knew what she was doing was wrong.

EVERYONE has rules and regulations we have to follow in life. Do we all follow them? No. Do we get crucified or fired for not following them? Sometimes yes, sometimes no. I would think this would be a valuable lesson to her, and in the grand scheme of things, no sweat off her back other than making her school look bad in the public eye to the public who seems to forget that she intentionally broke a school rule lol

She intentionally pulled a fast one and got called on it. General rule, if you're going to try to pull a fast one, don't get caught. Then again, you shouldn't try to pull fast ones to begin with

 

[Francis]

Of course there were guidelines. That's why you MUST hand in the speech prior to the Commencement Ceremonies. The question becomes has any kid ever deviated from any speech handed in at all. If so, it doesn't matter, because the school has already broken protocol. I cannot imagine no student having never broken from the written speech handed in and not changed ONE word and never deviated from what was on that handed regardless of the word changed.

The diploma has to do with her academic achievements and not her speech. They are holding it at ransom like someone would a Gold Medal at any sporting event for someone saying "Hell Yah I won" and wanting the person to take back their words, which of course is impossible.

Writing the letter saying "I am sorry" is only to boost the principals ego as it can't take back the word spoken. He is not teaching her a lesson but rather wants her to kiss his ass as in you should have done it exactly MY WAY ONLY.

She did not cheat to get "A" nor did she do anything wrong and why I believe she should get the diploma and why this guy is on a power trip. If he wanted to give her a sermon, fine but she is finished school and did all that was asked of her academics and doing this speech was NOT REQUIRED by her.. She could have told him to get a Red Devil ( Team Name ) player to do it for him.. Hence she was doing him a favour and it seems the ONLY person really upset by this was him..

 

[Joe the meek]

Your argument is mute if the word "hell" was a specific word listed on words NOT to use during a graduation speech. I don't know if there were written procedures for that school pertaining to a graduation speech, do you?

Yes, there is a chance that the school powers are on an ego trip, however, if written rules were broken, the next question would be is if the school was following those procedures. Do you know if they were? If I were the family in question, since this girl is so smart, THESE are the questions I would be asking and pointing out to the press instead of crying the blues. Or perhaps she KNEW she broke the rules? I don't know, do you?

Point being, all we know is what was written in the paper. OR do you have the inside scoop?

A high school diploma? Man, I'm so proud to have mine hanging on the wall:24:

 

[Zorak]

Freedom of speech lols not really

 

[Zorak]

Pardon me, i just checked the constitution, and freedom of speech only allows disparagement of same sex marriage.

 

[darkcgi]

 

[darkcgi]

has anyone ever heard on a virtual high school online

 

[darkcgi]

I would submit that written apology
and wait a year and GET EVEN!!!
sure she did wrong but it was so minor and look what she has done in the past
hey she got some recognition out of it and even if she writes the apology and gets her diploma
everyone is going to hate the faculty at that school and especially the principal

 

[Joe the meek]

Funny enough that even though I'm an idiot, I even realize why this isn't a "freedom of speech" issue.

Would you guys like it spelled out for you?

Kind of scary actually.