And the brass will probably just convince itself it’s just a matter of controlling “troublemakers” and their solution will be that henceforth all students who are to speak at graduation will be handpicked and have their speeches pre-vetted and have to sign a written commitment that they’ll stick to the approved speech of face sanctions. Easier than fixing the root problem.
[Devil’s Advocate]
Is there a transcript of this speech anywhere so we could at least see the merits of this rogue address instead of speculating that its altruistic nature should be warranted and acceptable? I’d hate to think that she would have simplistic, non-constructive slams against her alma mater such as “this place sucked because we had bad teachers that didn’t give a shit”. I guess I’d like to see it before passing judgment on the school since it was the school that had rewritten that speech for her to perform and she played the stunt of reading the unaltered version.
[/Devil’s Advocate]
Actually, the merits of the address are completely beside the point. In fact, if her whole speech consisted of nothing more than “This school sucks; thankyou, and good night” it still would not justify witholding the diploma.
Oh, I totally agree with you mhendo. The devil’s advocate of me would still like to see the transcript of the speech to see how offensive/inappropriate it was. The frosted side of me loves the sweet taste of victory that she was able to get her opinions and frustrations out there in a forum where she was finally heard.
In contrast to Wang-Ka’s “lessons” that the kid should have learned, I think she may have learned the best lesson ever: the biggest difference between Joe Schmoe who keeps his mouth shut and the born leader who tries to change things is the person’s willingness not to take the BS that others are dishing out.
Can her admission to Smith, or her scholarship funds, be jeopardized by what she’s done? I mean, since being valedictorian is supposed to mean, among other things, that she’s the best student in the school, can anyone actually hold her back on the technicality? Is someone at Smith going to say, “Sorry, you’re not a HS graduate, you can’t enroll here,” or will they give her a pass?
My high school said I needed to pay for a lost textbook. I knew for certain I had returned the textbook, and refused to pay for it. It might have been “accidentally on purpose” lost by a petty teacher who disliked me, or maybe it was truly accidentally lost. Either way, I had fufilled my part of the bargain by returning the book in good condition-- that they lost it wasn’t my fault. They said they would keep my diploma until I returned the book or paid for it. I said “fine, you do that then.” I went off to my chosen college with nary a problem in that regard. Later they “found” the book and I was able to pick up my diploma. I have no idea where it is anymore, and I’ve never once needed it. I don’t think Miss Schley is going to have any problems if she doesn’t get the actual diploma.
Again, the graduation exercises and diploma are a formality. She was allowed to graduate, but not allowed to pick up the piece of paper that she can keep in a cardboard box for years to come. It’s a symbol of having completed and graduated college, ntohing more. You don’t need to show “proof of diploma” to go to college…and her grades and transcript are not subject to any rescinding.
So…yes…if they had continued to withhold her diploma, she would still be a high school graduate.
By way of personal anecdote, I never turned in my cap and gown following my high school graduation. Graduates who did not turn them in were not allowed to pick up their diploma.
I went on to college anyway. For all I know, it’s still there in the office, waiting for me to pick it up. 
Naw, since she can always get a transcript.
Like others have posted, it’s not the piece of paper in the cool writing that makes you a graduate, it’s the transcript. I don’t think I ever got a diploma from my technical college, but I can always prove I graduated from the program by showing a transcript.
Robin
Nicely put.
It might surprise you, Ravenman, to know that I agree with you.
But no one knows for sure which way they’re going to go until the clout hits the mouth, bud. Moments of truth are always faced alone, and moments like this is when you and everyone around you finds out what you’re made of.
A schoolyard bully is a bad thing, sure. Certainly, the righteous person will go and set the jerk straight… by force if necessary, sure. But if you’re going to go and kick the bully in the nuts, you had best be ready for the haymaker that’s certain to follow. Righteousness is all well and good, but it’s an uncertain weapon at best. Better to depend on a little iron in the spine, a good right hand… and, perhaps, the numbers to the local newspapers.
I’m glad she won.
Oops! I was the one who misread! I thought your constant references to “he” in your first post referred to the student!
My bad! :smack:
So now not only is she going to college, but the taxpayers are going to give her a couple decades worth of pocket money to get her started (what with the lawsuit these imbeciles have brought down on them and all). Good work school administrators! Way to remind everyone in the district, especially the teens, that the kids are smarter than the teachers.
According to CNN, the student now has her diploma, but not an apology.
I love the mayor’s comment:
Mayor Michael Bloomberg on Monday called the withholding of the diploma “a bonehead thing to do by somebody.”
Although I did graduate and earn my degree, I never got my college diploma. Despite the fact that I paid for it.
Twice.
I really hate the administration at my old college. Buncha fuckin’ incompetents.
Man, I love it when you talk dirty! It gets me so HOT! 
Hmmm…she may be taking things a little too far now–politicians are circling.
And I too wish I had a copy of that speech. “Accents we can’t understand” was one of her complaints.
:dubious:
Yeah, as quickly as i supported her stand, my cup of sympathy is starting to run a little dry. She got her publicity, she’s getting her diploma, she made the school look like a bunch of idiots and gained lots of public support for her intelligence and principles; now she should just let it go.
If she’s just going to milk this for every bit of publicity that she can, she’ll find out pretty soon that most people have even less time for egomaniacal self-promoters than they do for officious bureaucrats.