Monday, August 27, 2012




OK: Valedictorian denied diploma for using  “hell” in speech

No backdown from either side so far despite a lot of adverse publicity for the school.  The student has her transcript however so is starting college regardless

A high school principal in Oklahoma refused this week to turn over a straight-A student’s diploma because she used the word “hell” in her graduation speech.

That’s got the father of 18-year-old Kaitlin Nootbaar mad as hell, insisting to local reporters with Oklahoma’s Own News On 6 that Prague High School Principal David Smith has gone too far.

Nootbaar quoted the movie “Twilight” in her graduation speech, saying, “They ask us now what we want to be, and we say who the hell knows.” For that, Smith reportedly demanded that Nootbaar write a letter apologizing for her language before he releases her diploma.

Nootbaar has refused, so the standoff continues.

“They’re denying her diploma because she used the word ‘hell’ — something that isn’t even banned by the FCC,” “The Young Turks” co-host Ana Kasparian said on Monday night’s show. “I can say it as much as I want on this national television show.”

SOURCE

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

The father is mad as hell, but in a private meeting with the Principal he didn't pound him into a bloody pulp, so he wasn't as mad as me. The satisfaction would be worth the jail time.

Anonymous said...

Another case of a right wing government leader trying to enforce their twisted beliefs on others. What happened to the conservative motto, " to get the government off our backs?"

Anonymous said...

There is more to the story than what is being said here.

The speech was approved by the principal (as most valedictorian speeches are across the country.) In approving the speech, the principal and the girl agreed she would use the word "heck" instead of "hell."

There was no controversy over the change.

When the girl broke her word to the school and the principal, she said she got "caught up in the moment."

Getting "caught up in the moment" doesn't mean you have the right to break an agreement without consequences. In this case, a simply apology is more than acceptable.

The thing that needs to be remembered is the principal has to be thinking "long term." What happens the next time when someone says something that is out of bounds? The precedent would have been set that nothing will happen.

The father and the daughter are wrong on this one. The girl made an agreement with the principal then broke that agreement.

A simple apology is not an over the top punishment. Instead, we have people yelling at the principal instead of the girl and her father who don't think her word and her agreement should mean anything.

Kudos to the principal for sticking to his guns and for holding the girl accountable for her actions.

Anonymous said...

A lawyer can get the diploma.

Anonymous said...

Another case of left wing government leader trying to enforce their twisted beliefs on others.It seems to anyone with a brain, that the principal is probably a member of the pro obama teachers union. The right loves freedom of speech the liberal left is the ones that censor speech.

Anonymous said...

Anon 6:45 said: "principal is probably a member of the pro obama teachers union."

Dude, we are talking about Oklahoma here. There are no liberals

From FactCheck.org, "For anyone who thought Oklahoma might be leaning blue, or even a touch purple, consider this: In November, 65.6 percent of voters in the state cast ballots for Republican candidate John McCain. That’s the highest percentage among all the states. "

http://www.factcheck.org/2009/05/oklahomas-conservativism/

6:45, not only did you not get it right, it was an epic fail.

Anonymous said...

News Flash:
Voting for Juan McLoser DOES NOT make you a conservative! A fool yes, but not a conservative.

Anonymous said...

Love it, Juan Mcloser..lol

Anonymous said...

The diploma was earned by taking classes, not for making a.speech. I don't.care what the alleged " agreement" was it is.ridiculous to withhold the diploma.

Uno Hu said...

The high school diploma is worth what? It and $1.25 will get you a cup of coffee at the local sandwich shop; without the buck-and-a-quarter, it is useful only, in dire straights, for some personal hygeine clean-up. I actually support her refusal to apologize and demonstrate her opinion of the diploma's "value" by suggesting the principal keep it, and perhaps even where he can roll it up and store it.