Prague Diploma Controversy

[ljbab728]

http://newsok.com/prague-student-den...rticle/3702492

At first I thought this was a faily innocuous statement during this girl's speech but the more I thought about I changed my mind. She submitted her speech in advance for approval and knew what was approved. She chose to deviate from that approved speech using a word that she knew would not be approved. I know how students talk and I'm sure that none of them were offended but that isn't the point. She chose to thumb her nose at authority and her parents are backing her in that. They are doing her no favors. I saw her being interviewed on the news tonight and she chose to use the word again as if to say "I can do whatever I want". The lesson her parents need to teach her are that it's fine to be an individual but there are prices to pay when you decide not to conform to what's expected and allowed in society.

[Pete]

Yeah, this is a hard one.

Especially since I seriously doubt she just accidentally happened to use "hell" rather than "heck". And also because that phrasing would have never been approved, for good reason.

[Stew]

Deny somebody's diploma because they said 'hell' in a commencement speech. Yeah, that makes sense.

What are we becoming?

[wallbreaker]

If "what the heck" was in the planned and approved speach, and she mispoke and said "what the hell", then the school needs to get over it. When you're reading, and speaking out loud, it's easy for a colloquialism to jump in there by accident. There needs to be common sense in implementation of rules, and intent should be a big part of it.

If "What the heck" wasn't approved, then maybe yeah, some punishment is deserved.

[onthestrip]

Hell? The word hell? A bad word? I dont get it. Its ok to say it if you are describing the place you supposedly go to if you are bad but to say "how the hell do I know" instead of "how the heck do I know"...? Is that really offensive? I think this is absurd. The school admins should remove the stick from you know where and give her her well earned diploma.

Thinks of the few students that constantly disrupted learning or the ones that bullied/hazed kids and they still get their diplomas but this girl says H-E-DOUBLE HOCKEY STICKS (gasp!) and doesnt get hers? Lighten up folks

[ljbab728]

It's not absurd at all. And as I said, the word itself isn't the point. She chose to use a word that was not approved and she knew would not be approved. She was thumbing her nose at authority and that was not the place to do it. I saw her interview on TV and she was fairly arrogant about it which is obviously something she picked up from her parents. Again, her parents are typical of many of the problems our public schools face now. They teach their kids to disrespect authority and back them up in it.

[wallbreaker]

It's not absurd at all. And as I said, the word itself isn't the point. She chose to use a word that was not approved and she knew would not be approved. She was thumbing her nose at authority and that was not the place to do it. I saw her interview on TV and she was fairly arrogant about it which is obviously something she picked up from her parents. Again, her parents are typical of many of the problems our public schools face now. They teach their kids to disrespect authority and back them up in it.

You KNOW she thumbed her nose, and it was her intent? Do can't see how she could have meant to say "what the heck" and slipped and used hell instead?

Anyone who thinks they couldn't possibly accidently slip must get tired from drying off their socks (from all the times they walk on water).

[ljbab728]

wallbreaker, all I can tell you is what I saw and how she said what she said. It was obvious to me anyway. The word was not an accident and she has never contended that it was.

[Pete]

I suspect that the people making the decisions saw what she did as an intentional defiance, otherwise I'm sure they wouldn't feel the need to punish her.

[wallbreaker]

I suspect that the people making the decisions saw what she did as an intentional defiance, otherwise I'm sure they wouldn't feel the need to punish her.

If they have a valid reason to believe that, then like I said, punishment makes sense. I haven't been able to find anything that claims that she was "Trying to make a statement" or "thumb her nose" so from the outside everything looks like she mispoke. But I'm happy to get alternative information.

[wallbreaker]

wallbreaker, all I can tell you is what I saw and how she said what she said. It was obviously to me anyway. The word was not an accident and she has never contended that it was.

Is it online somewhere? I'd love to see it.

[Pete]

Maybe the people in the school district are just mean but I think the more logical explanation is they felt it was a defiance.

I can't imagine they would want to punish someone for what they thought was just an honest mistake.

[onthestrip]

Again, her parents are typical of many of the problems our public schools face now. They teach their kids to disrespect authority and back them up in it.

Are you serious? Her parents raised a girl that has earned all A's her entire life, is valedictorian and received a full scholarship to college....ya, her parents are definitely the problem when it comes to public schools...

She said hell instead of heck, not a big deal and I dont think she is disrespecting authority. I think the authority is overstepping their, well, authority. Where does it say she cant get her diploma if she says hell in a valedictorian speech?

[wallbreaker]

I'm sure the folks of Elmore felt justified banning dancing too...

[ljbab728]

Are you serious? Her parents raised a girl that has earned all A's her entire life, is valedictorian and received a full scholarship to college....ya, her parents are definitely the problem when it comes to public schools...

She said hell instead of heck, not a big deal and I dont think she is disrespecting authority. I think the authority is overstepping their, well, authority. Where does it say she cant get her diploma if she says hell in a valedictorian speech?

There are many life lessons more important than the things you list. As I said, the word she used is not important and the fact that she chose to use a word that she knew wasn't approved is disrespecting authority. There is nothing which states that you can't use that word in a speech but there is certainly something which would apply when she purposely uses a word which she knows wasn't approved. They have stated that all that is required is an apology for deviating from her speech and she would have her diplomy at once. It's her choice to make.

[ljbab728]

I'm sure the folks of Elmore felt justified banning dancing too...

So obviously you feel that any kind of language is approriate for a graduation speech and it should be anything goes? That is a total non-sequitur.

[wallbreaker]

So obviously you feel that any kind of language is approriate for a graduation speech and it should be anything goes? That is a total non-sequitur.

Actually, I was trying to be funny. But it was obviously six-degrees from humorous to you (or visa versa).

[ljbab728]

Actually, I was trying to be funny. But it was obviously six-degrees from humorous to you (or visa versa).

Mea culpa. I saw nothing indicating humor so I apologize.

[dankrutka]

Even if this was intentional defiance, the school needs to get over it. This is absolutely ridiculous. She was a great student for 4 years. She earned her diploma. I mean, what th hell?!?

[dankrutka]

Even if this was intentional defiance, the school needs to get over it. This is absolutely ridiculous. She was a great student for 4 years. She earned her diploma. I mean, what the hell?!?

[Of Sound Mind]

Are you serious? Her parents raised a girl that has earned all A's her entire life, is valedictorian and received a full scholarship to college....ya, her parents are definitely the problem when it comes to public schools...

She said hell instead of heck, not a big deal and I dont think she is disrespecting authority. I think the authority is overstepping their, well, authority. Where does it say she cant get her diploma if she says hell in a valedictorian speech?

+100

Even if this was intentional defiance, the school needs to get over it. This is absolutely ridiculous. She was a great student for 4 years. She earned her diploma. I mean, what the hell?!?

Absolutely right.

What's more, this is another one of those "great" stories putting Oklahoma in a "great" light nationally... all over an innocuous 4-letter word that has become so ingrained in our society's everyday language that many don't even consider it profane or inappropriate.

I don't understand why the school administration, other than it being a battle of wills and ego, is making such a "federal case" out of her use of this least of offensive "swear" words... although, I think it would make an interesting federal case should it be pursued...

[ThomPaine]

Worst case scenario? Administrators stick by their guns and don't give her the diploma. When is the last time you ever looked at your HS diploma? HS diplomas are like HS letter jackets - they're a big deal until your first day of college and then are stored away, misplaced, or accidently thrown away.

I think the newspaper clippings and publicity are more likely to be saved, pulled out, and used as an example (good or bad) for her kids, than a diploma ever would be...

[bandnerd]

I want to know the legal reasons a school can hold a diploma, because I have a feeling this isn't one of those reasons.

[HewenttoJared]

Next thing you know they'll be listening to that damnable rock n roll and wearing dresses that show their knees! We gotta stop this now! -paraphrased from Dirty Dancing, a movie where a town of hicks stops the future from happening.

[ABryant]

I think after 4 years of overachieving in school even a f-you to the principle and administration would be OK. It doesn't matter. She can go to college and get a degree, and worry about her GED later.