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Valedictorian denied high school diploma for saying hell in speech

I think you'll find that while she has satisfied the requirements for graduation and has graduated and will have a transcript of her grades sent to wherever she needs to have them sent, the education Nazi's in her former school system are not required by law to give her a traditional piece of paper that she can frame and put on a wall. It will ultimately be up to the school board. She'll lose, as the school board cannot allow the principal to die on that particular hill.

The nation has gone mad. Far too many Americans seem to admire and follow the Taliban. It's happening all over the country. Oklahoma and this situation is simply a recent example.
 
Hey, what do you know, you are still absolutely wrong, just like the last time you wrongly said this wrong thing. Did I mention yet hat you are wrong?

At this point as you know you are completely wrong in this case it looks like youhave nothing else to add to the conversation except to say people are wrong having no basis in reality for your statement.

Please tell us why you think the student should have to jump through non-existent hoops to get her diploma.
 
Political correctness is never pretty, It really does not matter which side is offended.
It is a slippery slope!
A smart Girl like this can frame her apology to satisfy everyone.
Something like" I apologize for my inappropriate use of a movie quotation."
I think the school is wrong here, but have the power to cause her harm.
She should be polite and move on. If she stands her ground, she will be the one hurt.
 
I know exactly how it works. Like I said a similar thing happened tome inhigh school. The school has no legal standing on this and I would not be surprised if the girl doesn't already have her diploma.

I have to admit, I did not expect you to actually confess that you have a personal prejudice against school administrators. This fact is not surprising, however, as your highly emotional attitude seems to have made it impossible for you to look at this situation logically.
 
I only see emotion and I see a conspicuous absence of logic. Perhaps you had a bad experience with school administrators growing up? Your personal motivations are immaterial. Nevertheless, you wear your emotions on your sleeve, it is highly transparent where your feelings lie, and this is no doubt responsible for your failure to address this discussion reasonably.

I have no feeling about this.

It is logical to expect the girl to receive her diploma when she did the work to earn it.

By the way you are forgetting this girl is the valedictorian. You do not become a valedictorian by being, what you call, a petulant child.
 
We are at polar opposites of the political spectrum.

It is deeply shameful to see all these people defending the obvious wrongdoer in this situation.

Hell, you're the only one being ashamed, Guy. That might signify the need for a gut check. In fact, I'm trying to think why "hell" is such a horrible world.
 
I have to admit, I did not expect you to actually confess that you have a personal prejudice against school administrators. This fact is not surprising, however, as your highly emotional attitude seems to have made it impossible for you to look at this situation logically.

Yes I have always though of the words "legal standing" as very emotional.
 
Hell, you're the only one being ashamed, Guy. That might signify the need for a gut check. In fact, I'm trying to think why "hell" is such a horrible world.

I don't see any cause for shame on my end. Defending the inappropriate actions of this child is what is shameful. Sad, really, that anyone could be so morally stunted as to think that her behavior is worthy of defending.
 
I don't see any cause for shame on my end. Defending the inappropriate actions of this child is what is shameful. Sad, really, that anyone could be so morally stunted as to think that her behavior is worthy of defending.

She did absolutely nothing wrong, she didn't break any rules, any laws, or infringe upon anyone's rights.
 
I think it is truly sad that anyone cannot see what this child did wrong. It's like a moral blindness, or perhaps a failure to recognize basic human morality at all. This thread is a tragic commentary on society.
 
We are first and foremost a country of rules and laws.
The fundamental concept is that any action not explicitly denied, is allowed!
Unless the school had a specific rule about not using the word "hell", she broke no rules.
Her being right has almost no bearing, on the harm she can cause herself by not apologizing.
 
We are first and foremost a country of rules and laws.
The fundamental concept is that any action not explicitly denied, is allowed!
Unless the school had a specific rule about not using the word "hell", she broke no rules.
Her being right has almost no bearing, on the harm she can cause herself by not apologizing.

She shouldn't have to apologize for a rule she didn't break. I respect her for not apologizing.
 
I don't think it's a big deal for her to just apologize. She should pick her battles more wisely. Really, what is she battling about? Is it such a big deal to apologize for swearing and worth all of this? For what purpose? She herself admitted that she made a "mistake" so why not just say I'm sorry that I cursed in front of everyone. It's really, really kind of stupid when you think about it, and relatively unimportant.
 
I don't think it's a big deal for her to just apologize. She should pick her battles more wisely. Really, what is she battling about? Is it such a big deal to apologize for swearing and worth all of this? For what purpose? She herself admitted that she made a "mistake" so why not just say I'm sorry that I cursed in front of everyone. It's really, really kind of stupid when you think about it, and relatively unimportant.
Glad to see that some people still possess common sense.
 
She shouldn't have to apologize for a rule she didn't break. I respect her for not apologizing.
I agree, but if her not apologizing, cost her a big scholarship, how is that better for her?
 
Glad to see that some people still possess common sense.

I think it's nothing more than pride and being stubborn. It's not like this is some great protest. I really wonder what she hopes to accomplish? Allowing kids to say "hell" and perhaps other curse words when they're delivering a speech in front of parents, grandparents, little children? I don't think it's too much to ask to keep a clean mouth when you're in certain venues. It's called "civility" and "respect" for others. And if she made a mistake, and a word slipped out, then she should be woman enough to apologize, but by the way she is acting she is obviously still just a child.
 
I agree, but if her not apologizing, cost her a big scholarship, how is that better for her?

It won't cost her a scholarship unless she had planned to go to Bobby Jones University or a bible college.
 
I don't think it's a big deal for her to just apologize. She should pick her battles more wisely. Really, what is she battling about? Is it such a big deal to apologize for swearing and worth all of this? For what purpose? She herself admitted that she made a "mistake" so why not just say I'm sorry that I cursed in front of everyone. It's really, really kind of stupid when you think about it, and relatively unimportant.

So why is the SCHOOL making such a big deal about it.

"Lick my dirty boot" or I'll ruin your future sounds kind of fascist to me.

"Do what i say because i say so" isnt much better.

Who knows what the truth is here. Sounds to me like theres something we're not hearing.
 
Good gravy-
The graduating High School Senior isn't a child
She didn't break any rules
The Administration has retreated into 'confidential' reasons
No one should have to apologize to a petty bureaucrat for some personal 'secret' reason in this country. To claim she must teaches her the wrong lesson.

Guy I. calling her a child, wrongdoer, petulant doesn't strengthen your case. I'd say you have no case at all.
 
Good gravy-
The graduating High School Senior isn't a child
She didn't break any rules
The Administration has retreated into 'confidential' reasons
No one should have to apologize to a petty bureaucrat for some personal 'secret' reason in this country. To claim she must teaches her the wrong lesson.

Guy I. calling her a child, wrongdoer, petulant doesn't strengthen your case. I'd say you have no case at all.

I called her a petulant child too, because that is how she is acting. She admits that she let a word slip out by mistake. Any reasonable mature adult would apologize for a mistake they made. I don't anything about the school, and that is irrelevant because I think MOST schools would not appreciate a student swearing on stage while delivering a speech in such a venue. It is just not appropriate, and an ADULT would be able to realize this. Yes, we have to practice restraint at times as adults. We act appropriately when in the company of others and respect other people's feelings. This girl obviously has a lot of growing up to do IMO.
 
If I understand this correctly, a student gave a speech using language in violation of school policy and refused to apologize when asked. How could anyone support that?

...um...perhaps because the policy is arbitrary and draconian, and -- were it not for the political vulnerability of students, especially minors -- wouldn't have seen the light of day if attempted with legal adults?

(Where else would you be able to convince a bunch of folks to work for four years under conditions and on a curriculum they have little to no input in, and then have the certificate of having completed that work revoked based upon simply saying a word?!?)

I am shocked to see people, ostensibly grown adults, defending the actions of kid who refuses to apologize for her wrongful behavior.

...except that it is not established that she did anything wrong. You DO comprehend the difference between (allegedly) against the rules vs. ethically wrong, don't you?

Guy Incognito said:
It is astonishing, really. Sad. Pathetic. Not to mention a bad example for our nation's children.

Yeah...the NERVE of that student...speaking freely and using a Forbidden Syllable. Which scarlet letter should we use for the capital crime of Using A Forbidden Syllable?

The sad part is that I can't tell if you're joking, because there are folks here who would write what you've written and be completely serious. Classic case of POE.
 
Alright ... time to drop the smoke and mirrors (polite way of saying, Bovine processed oats).

She is in college. When, (not if) she gets her degree ... the only thing the employer is interested in is the college diploma. In fact, I seriously doubt if anyone will know (or care) which HS she went to. The ONLY thing all this nonsense does is to show how galactically idiotic a public school districts' administration can be.

A L
 
Chris-
she said she made a mistake and shouldn't have said hell. THAT should be the end of it as there is NO, ZERO, NADA, NIX, NON rule against her using the word hell.

You and Guy I. seem to gloss over that fact to call her petulant. She broke no rule, just could have use a bit more care in the choice of words.

Not diploma with holding worthy.

She said she made a mistake, the Principle should have been satisfied with that, something else must be going on in this to have the Superintendent blow smoke with a 'confidential' reason.

Personally I see the honor student saying she made a mistake as prodded on by a third party saying that would show good faith, placate the Principle and smooth it all over.

However saying she made a mistake doesn't justify the Principle acting less mature than the honor student, nor with holding the diploma.
 
If she is already in college, no big deal.
I was concerned that the university might not accept her without a
high school diploma.
 
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