High school valedictorian gives speech on bullhorn after it was banned for being too political

[brooklynite]

The Hill

A pair of high school students gave their planned graduation speeches to a crowd outside the auditorium where their commencement ceremony was held after their Catholic school found the addresses were too political.

Valedictorian Christian Bales, 18, was told just hours before his graduation at Holy Cross High School in Kentucky on Friday that he wouldn’t be permitted to give the speech, ABC News reported.

Student Council President Katherine Frantz was also blocked from delivering her address at the ceremony.

...snip...

Bales used his speech to praise the Parkland, Fla. shooting survivors for their efforts to pass gun control, mention his and Frantz’s calls to remove a Confederate statue from the Kentucky State Capitol, and praise other students who participated in an anti-abortion March for Life.

Video of speech

[rainin]

1. This is too political? He is encouraging young people to be politically active.

How do they get away with crap like this? There is NOTHING wrong with this speech!! My son spoke at graduation. I know how important this was to him and our family. This young man earned that right and should NEVER have been barred from speaking.

I hope they share this speech far and wide and expose what that school chose to censor. Power corrupts!!

[Mariana]

3. You mean how does the school get away with censoring the students?

They get away with it because parents keep paying tuition for their children to attend this private Catholic school.

[rainin]

4. Are these parents who believe their young high school graduates should not "use their voices"?

There is nothing terribly provocative in this speech. I've listened to many speeches where students say edgy things. Parents groan, but it happens.

Somebody in charge used his power to censor, but do the parents really sit by and allow that? Maybe they don't know. The school must feel insulated or secure that they numbers are in their favor.

[Mariana]

6. Do you think parents send their children to a private Catholic school

because they want their kids to learn to think independently? There may be some, but I expect most send their children there so the school will reinforce the religious indoctrination the children have received. That is the opposite of teaching independent thinking.

[KY_EnviroGuy]

10. K&R for the truth.

............

[47of74]

11. And isn't that what turns a lot of people in to ex-Catholics is 12+ years in a Catholic school?

[Mariana]

16. Sure, but that's not what the parents intend to happen

when they send their kids to 12+ years of Catholic school.

[SidDithers]

14. Nailed it...

Sid

[malaise]

2. Off to the greatest page

The quality needs to be improved and this needs to be spread everywhere

[Kirk Lover]

5. Of course this isn't going to fly at a Catholic School. What great fun and well done! nt

[dhill926]

7. good on them....

[TheBlackAdder]

8. Valedictorian speeches are submitted for approval in April. They sat on it until the last minute.

.

While they don't like the kid, they surely liked the tens of thousands his parents paid them.

.

[SunSeeker]

9. K & R

[47of74]

12. I thought the church would have been all about the "March for Life" participation...

...and told him just to use that part.

Ugh.

[heaven05]

13. orwell updated. nt

[benld74]

15. Congrats on their graduation

Their perseverance and determination to finish what they began.
To not kowtow to those in “authority”
To speak the truth
From their hearts

To this school and others like them
You ultimately failed in your final teachings to these kids. The proof is unmistakable in your half hearted reason.