School withholds valedictorian’s diploma for saying “hell”

KFOR-TV ^ | August 18, 2012 | La'Tasha Givens

[TXnMA]

"If it was a mistake as you say, then she should just apologize as requested and then get her diploma and move on with her life."

I am not a fan of profanity, either, but the proper response to the above is, "'Request', hell!!! That was a DEMAND!"

Would you allow your employer to withhold a paycheck you had earned -- because you had said something he didn't like?

if your answer is "yes", then change your FRName to "Californican Freeper 20(whatever...)" -- because you don't have what it takes to be a real Texan...

[Gay State Conservative]

All power to the state! All because someone said hell. This is a joke.

I was completely serious in my post.I was brought up in a typical 50's/60's home.One of the many things I was taught when young is that there's always a way to express oneself without the use of *any* profanity,even a relatively mild form of it.The use of profanity is a sign of either intellectually laziness or lack of breeding.

[E Rocc]

To hell with humility. It’s the most overrated “virtue” there is.

There are reasons that smarmy lawyers who pad their (plaintiff payable) bills on slam dunk cases like this, and this district is one of them.

[TexasFreeper2009]

I attended a high school which had a meaningless graduation ceremony a week or so before graduation. And it was made VERY clear before hand that we were expected to continue to attend classes afterward and abide by all school rules during the graduation ceremony and until the last day of class.

For instance:

state law requires a kid to attend X number of school days per year or not graduate. Kid X attends meaningless ceremony a week or two prior to graduation and decides not to attend school anymore mistakenly believing that the meaningless ceremony meant he was done even though he was told otherwise before hand. another example: Kid attends meaningless ceremony a week or two prior to the end of the school year and decides that he doesn't have to take his final since he already received an empty container at the meaningless ceremony.

[CORedneck]

Happened at my H.S. but several years before I graduated. Some seniors had some wild party between Finals and graduation ceremony and they got busted by the police. The school withheld their diplomas until the end of August so they didn’t misbehave before going off to college. They went through graduation and the whole thing and got their diploma binder but it was empty inside.

A couple years (in 1987) after I graduated (1985), I went to a friend’s graduation and the class picked a well known pothead to give the speech and it was hilarious. He made many references to the word “high” and “higher” and I remember the principal just sitting in his seat and you can tell he was not happy. But no action was taken though. The ironic thing, the principal had a sex accusation lodged against him in 2004 or 2005 since he was a Jesuit Priest, he was ousted for an incident that happened in 1986.

> Seems that there is a bit of petty tyranny to me. Seems like someone wants to let her know who’s the big boss before she leaves.

[DesertRhino]

Thats absurd, some of that is criminal. If they do those things they are arrested for assault on the principal, or for indecent exposure. Nothing remotely like that happened here. And yes, i would rather have the extremely rare incident of some kid saying hell, than your control freak version of “conservatism”

Do you really think the founders wanted a society so structured that a graduation speech must be submitted and approved by the government? That idea is offensive and is much more at home on the left. Conservatism isn’t supposed to be statism, with us holding the wheel as the only difference.

And let me clue you in, those things you are getting a case of the fainting vapors over could still happen anyway, valdictorian or not. Any kid could run up on stage and do all of those disruptive things you listed. Having the government carefully monitor and approve her speech protects you from nothing. But it does make you more statist. Stalin, Islam, and British headmasters would be really proud of you.

[DesertRhino]

Thats absurd, some of that is criminal. If they do those things they are arrested for assault on the principal, or for indecent exposure. Nothing remotely like that happened here. And yes, i would rather have the extremely rare incident of some kid saying hell, than your control freak version of “conservatism”

Do you really think the founders wanted a society so structured that a graduation speech must be submitted and approved by the government? That idea is offensive and is much more at home on the left. Conservatism isn’t supposed to be statism, with us holding the wheel as the only difference.

And let me clue you in, those things you are getting a case of the fainting vapors over could still happen anyway, valdictorian or not. Any kid could run up on stage and do all of those disruptive things you listed. Having the government carefully monitor and approve her speech protects you from nothing. But it does make you more statist. Stalin, Islam, and British headmasters would be really proud of you.

[TexasFreeper2009]

sure, anyone can come onto the stage and do anything they wish.

But they will then reap the consequences.

That is how civilization works.

You and everyone else is free to do whatever you wish, but then you have to pay the consequences.

In this case, the consequence is an apology or no diploma.

[trailhkr1]

One of the many things I was taught when young is that there's always a way to express oneself without the use of *any* profanity,even a relatively mild form of it.The use of profanity is a sign of either intellectually laziness or lack of breeding.

Risky Business: Sometimes you just gotta say "what the ****"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yQXKOxGhMuA

[petitfour]

Well, bless your heart!

[TXnMA]

I was taught the same thing by my parents -- BUT...

Is "intellectually [sic] laziness or lack of breeding" justification for withholding EARNED documentation of four years of outstanding accomplishment?

NO,

it

is

NOT!!!

[DesertRhino]

We weren’t discussing vocabulary. We were discussing your unhappiness that she deviated from her state approved speech text by a single word.
I’m making fun of your idea that to prevent a single word like “hell” being said, you feel that the speech should be written in advance and approved by the school personnel. These are among the most petty bureaucrats ever created.

The cure of “speech approval” with dire threats for any deviation should shock you more than any single non-sexual non-excretory cuss word.
In such a system you accomplish nothing. If nobody cusses, is it because they are polite and educated? Or is it only because of the threats of a state bureau?

The difference is that the latter is the hallmark of Saudi society. There is very good order on the streets there. But it isn’t because they are good, it’s a fear society. When you were taught those values, you were also frequently hearing, “this isn’t Russia” when government wanted to everyday life.

Take off the training wheels and be conservative.

[fungoking]

“She had technically (and legally) already graduated from the school prior to the beginning of the ceremony (the graduation ceremony is just a show with no legal significance whatsoever; if you don’t attend the graduation ceremony you are just as legally graduated as if you did). The school’s authority to control her actions and punish her ended the moment she graduated.”

Schools can and do police what goes on at graduation and can (if they desire) punish those graduating for behavior outside the expectations of a graduation cermony.

That being said, has anyone been to a graduation lately? It is often a zoo and the parents are the worse offenders. During the program they walk around, carry on conservations across rows of chairs, and use profanity.

I have noticed the the likelyhood of a cow bell or air horn going off lessens when the name of a honor student is called... correlation?

[Gay State Conservative]

I was taught the same thing by my parents -- BUT... Is "intellectual laziness or lack of breeding" justification for withholding EARNED documentation of four years of outstanding accomplishment?

I never said it was,although I guess I should have made clear that I thought the punishment was too harsh.This kid needs to apologize but shouldn't be denied her diploma.

[Nebr FAL owner]

The School & its administration need a lesson in the meaning of the First Amendment & that extortion is not a nice thing to do also the class Valedictorian does not come across as a foul mouthed brat the school administration appear to be vindictive fascist f*cks.

[DesertRhino]

“I attended a high school which had a meaningless graduation ceremony a week or so before graduation. And it was made VERY clear before hand that we were expected,,,,”

You know, there’s something almost fine about it. The way you speak with such fullsome pride about state fakery, combined with threats, to uphold arbitrary state rules. Did the meaningless ceremony come complete with an accurately read canned speech the principal approved of? There’s nothing like the accurate faking of the true milestones of life. You have been trained well.

PS, if Hell offends you, be careful of this movie called “Gone with the Wind”. It’s a shocker! Vulgar i tell ya. Yessirree,,,

[DesertRhino]

Please, teach me about how civilization works young one. LOL
But seriously, there’s this politician you might really find you agree with. His name is Obama, and he has a rule for _every_ life situation you might find yourself in. You’ll feel really safe.
Time to take off your training wheels and experience freedom as our nation intended. Sometimes you might even hear a bad word! Thats how freedom works.

[verga]

At the very least, the school should not be requiring one of its graduates to READ a "canned" speech -- when they should be preparing their students for extemporaneous speaking.

Schools "approve" of speeches ahead of time to prevent a more extreme/ egregious occurrence of what this young lady did.

That being said, if she "slipped" she should apologize. If she did it intentionally she should apologize.

[DesertRhino]

“Well, bless your heart!”

smirk

[Balding_Eagle]

Awaiting a reply.