ka ching! Rhonds Holton 
Posted on 05/26/2005 6:52:38 PM PDT by ChildOfThe60s
Eagleville High School Valedictorian Abe Stoklasa said all he wanted to do was give a memorable speech, but what he thought was funny, school leaders considered offensive.
In his speech, Stoklasa planned to say, “You have given us the minimum required attention and education to master any station at any McDonald’s anywhere. For that we thank you. Of course, I’m only kidding. Eagleville is a fine institute of higher learning, with superb faculty and staff.” He said all of the jokes were simply segues to build up the school with compliments.
But those in attendance at Eagleville’s graduation ceremony never heard that second part of Stoklasa’s speech because the school’s principal asked that the microphone be turned off when he varied from the speech he said he was going to deliver.
Eagleville High School principal Rhonda Holton said there were two sentences the school wanted Stoklasa to change.
“Because it implied that the students did not receive a quality education,” Holton said.
“I did not want to surrender to an administration that does not support the freedom of speech,” Stoklasa said in response.
Because of his speech, Stoklasa did not receive his diploma at the ceremony.
Holton said she withheld the diploma because Stoklasa had agreed to make changes to his speech and did not follow through with that promise.
Abe Stoklasa said he was also disappointed by all the controversy, and that he did not mean to cause any harm.
School leaders were scheduled to meet with Stoklasa Wednesday morning and give him his diploma at that time.
Jeez, what a bunch of cry babies.
Young people have no common sense. This guy is learning a lesson the hard way.
The school administrators have a pretty thin skin.
Government schools are evil.
Before everyone here gets their panties in a wad, make sure to read this sentence. Now I grant you that the administrators of this school are bunch of whiney little idiots for having a problem with his speech. But if this quote above is true, he agreed to change the speech. And then he welched on that agreement.
If that is an accurate description of events then frankly I have little sympathy for the kid. If he was so hell bent on preserving his freedom of speech he could have refused to say anything and made a public protest out of it.
Yeah, well...I guess withholding his diploma is the last bit of control they can exert over him.
If you say you are going to change the speech you should. However, he made lightweight jokes that no doubt every student at the school made at some point. And he later said he was kidding, some people take themselves far too seriously.
Perhaps Abe Stoklasa should use language his "school leaders" can understand. The local barrister can be an effective translator.
Only goes to prove that our current ed system produces uneducated, humorless dolts.
It's funny, all these educators want to be "touchy feely" and build kids' esteem, but they have no sense of humor and no sense of the thrill of the deed. I bet if you told them that at midnight, they could go run around the neighbor hood and play moon-tag, they'd stay inside. These people are killing the "child" in our children.
I thought it was standard procedure to NOT give out the actual diploma at graduation. This is kind of a "3 -second buffer" like what they use on "live" TV now.
This kid was stupid for not making agreed upon changes. The "jokes" were in bad taste. Yes, the administrators have "thin-skin", but the kid didn't live up to his end of the bargain. He's still getting his diploma.
Your point is well taken.
However, the school admins are not immature 18 YOs, at least they're not 18 anyway. His behavior is a lot more typical of his age than theirs is of theirs (I hope).
At any rate, IMO they are oversensitive, whiny, micro-managers. How do you suppose they deal with real problems?
He agreed to change it--but how? She may have understood his
words but not his intent.
vaudine
In other words, insecure. If they were doing the job they were supposed to be they would laugh it off. Since they are guilty of the accusation they don't want it brought to light.
Sympathy is irrelevant. What's relevant is whether the student's failure to abide by his promise to ammend his speech justifies the witholding of his diploma. If so, then the school administrators did the right thing. Otherwise, they did not. This matters because everyone's freedom is threatened whenever anyone's rights are violated--especially when such violations are dismissed as trivial, unimportant or "deserved" just because the victim isn't liked.
Two wrongs don't make a right.
ka ching! Rhonds Holton
If this had happened to my kid, my response would be so loud the principal would lose bladder control.
[This kid was stupid for not making agreed upon changes. The "jokes" were in bad taste.]
After reading the story, I think the jokes seem pretty sophisticated and humorous (unlike the school officials).
Agreed. Regardless I don't think the offense warrants revoking his graduation so I am glad he eventually will receive the diploma.
Check out post 19. I'd be interested to hear how your opinion changes after reading another version of the story.
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