Cut Off During Valedictorian Speech

[The Sum of Awe]

Texas High School Cuts Valedictorian's Mic When He Starts Talking About Constitution | Fox News Insider

 

[crossfire]

Smart kid. I can see why he's valedictorian.

It's amazing all the crap students have to put up with these days from school administration. One of the high schools in my area slapped so many rules on for student dances that the students just quit attending them. If the administrators keep this up, pretty soon none of the students will attend their own graduation. {How embarrassing would that be for the administration?}

 

[Pagan_Patriot]

It's like the head of the federal reserve who was telling Princeton Students that they owe something to the less fortunate because they were "lucky", instead of congratulating them for a job well done. Can anyone spell "tyrannical government coming up"?

 

[Alceste]

Kind of a misrepresentation. They cut it off because he drifted off the approved speech, not because of what he wanted to talk about.

Can we talk about what actually happened, out does this whole discussion have to be framed by Fox news' preferred version of events?

 

[crossfire]

Kind of a misrepresentation. They cut it off because he drifted off the approved speech, not because of what he wanted to talk about.

Can we talk about what actually happened, out does this whole discussion have to be framed by Fox news' preferred version of events?

Here's the account from the local paper.

snippet:

Another Facebook posting emailed to the Burleson Star clarified what Reimer had said after the microphone was cut off:

“We are all fortunate to live in a country where we can express our beliefs, where our mics won't be turned off, as I have been threatened to be if I veer away from the school-censored speech I have just finished. Just as Jesus spoke out against the authority of the Pharisees and Sadducees, who tried to silence him, I will not have my freedom of speech taken away from me. And I urge you all to do the same. Do not let anyone take away your religious or Constitutional rights from you.”

The crowd roared with enthusiasm and Reimer sat down.

“The district has reviewed the rules and policies regarding graduation speeches and has determined that the policy was followed last night,” JHS principal Mick Cochran said. “The district does not comment publically on matters of conduct of individual students so we cannot comment further at this point.”

Calls placed to Reimer's home by the Joshua Star were not immediately returned. A JHS teacher contacted by the Joshua Star also declined to comment based on a district directive not to comment.​

 

[Kilgore Trout]

Right, the rule is that all speeches have to be pre-approved. He threatened to change the speech to non-approved content, and they told him, per policy, he would be cut-off if he did so. He proceeded to break the rules, and they proceeded to enforce them.

Trying to paint some bratty kid who breaks the rules, for no reason other than to break them, as some kind of patriot is just silly.

 

[crossfire]

Right, the rule is that all speeches have to be pre-approved. He threatened to change the speech to non-approved content, and they told him, per policy, he would be cut-off if he did so. He proceeded to break the rules, and they proceeded to enforce them.

Trying to paint some bratty kid who breaks the rules, for no reason other than to break them, as some kind of patriot is just silly.

Sieg Heil! :sarcastic

{I'm being a brat by pulling the Hitler card.}

Authoritarianism can get rather unintelligent when it is cut and dried.

 

[Vinayaka]

The rule is there so some kid doesn't go on some cursing binge, start blasting his teachers, say whatever he wants about classmates, etc. It's a smart and necessary rule, and in place because of past negative experiences. I employ my channel flipper the same way, on an individual level. Too bad we don't get Fox news here or I'd use it more often.

 

[crossfire]

The rule is there so some kid doesn't go on some cursing binge, start blasting his teachers, say whatever he wants about classmates, etc. It's a smart and necessary rule, and in place because of past negative experiences. I employ my channel flipper the same way, on an individual level. Too bad we don't get Fox news here or I'd use it more often.

Or if a kid says something smart.

 

[Kilgore Trout]

Or if a kid says something smart.

Okay, pray tell, what was it that he said that was so smart?

 

[Shadow Wolf]

Kind of a misrepresentation. They cut it off because he drifted off the approved speech, not because of what he wanted to talk about.

Can we talk about what actually happened, out does this whole discussion have to be framed by Fox news' preferred version of events?

You and your follow-through just ruining all the fun!

 

[Vinayaka]

If any authority (school administration, police, the tax man, etc) makes it very clear, that "If you do this, then we will do this," and the person goes ahead and does it, it doesn't say a lot for their intelligence.

 

[Alceste]

Right, the rule is that all speeches have to be pre-approved. He threatened to change the speech to non-approved content, and they told him, per policy, he would be cut-off if he did so. He proceeded to break the rules, and they proceeded to enforce them.

Trying to paint some bratty kid who breaks the rules, for no reason other than to break them, as some kind of patriot is just silly.

Of course, that doesn't mean it's not a stupid rule. I don't remember ever having any speeches, presentations or performances vetted beforehand when I was in school.

Nevertheless, he was a bratty kid intentionally breaking a known rule and experiencing the consequences. Is that the sort of person we want to think of as a hero?

 

[crossfire]

Okay, pray tell, what was it that he said that was so smart?

From my previous post:

Here's the account from the local paper.

snippet:

Another Facebook posting emailed to the Burleson Star clarified what Reimer had said after the microphone was cut off:

“We are all fortunate to live in a country where we can express our beliefs, where our mics won't be turned off, as I have been threatened to be if I veer away from the school-censored speech I have just finished. Just as Jesus spoke out against the authority of the Pharisees and Sadducees, who tried to silence him, I will not have my freedom of speech taken away from me. And I urge you all to do the same. Do not let anyone take away your religious or Constitutional rights from you.”

​

When authority starts to degrade into an unintelligent regime, you gotta start raising consciousness. It's a shame when the kids have to raise the adults.

 

[crossfire]

Of course, that doesn't mean it's not a stupid rule. I don't remember ever having any speeches, presentations or performances vetted beforehand when I was in school.

Nevertheless, he was a bratty kid intentionally breaking a known rule and experiencing the consequences. Is that the sort of person we want to think of as a hero?

From the content of what he said, by all means, YES! :yes:

 

[Kilgore Trout]

From my previous post:

When authority starts to degrade into an unintelligent regime, you gotta start raising consciousness. It's a shame when the kids have to raise the adults.

Right, so he didn't actually have anything to say in the first place. He just wanted to ***** about the rule, and broke it to be a brat. He had nothing of weight or value to say that was being repressed.

I'm as much for freedom of speech as anyone. However, what I see hear is nothing more than a brat who wanted attention, and is getting it. I realize this probably impresses some people, but not everyone can be discerning.

 

[Me Myself]

Of course, that doesn't mean it's not a stupid rule. I don't remember ever having any speeches, presentations or performances vetted beforehand when I was in school.

Nevertheless, he was a bratty kid intentionally breaking a known rule and experiencing the consequences. Is that the sort of person we want to think of as a hero?

Agee with both claims.

Not much else to add.

 

[Alceste]

From the content of what he said, by all means, YES! :yes:

Seriously? From the bit you quoted it sounded like he was just whining about the rule he broke. There are far more heroic ways to go about having rules and policies you don't agree with changed. It reads like a temper tantrum to me.

 

[crossfire]

Seriously? From the bit you quoted it sounded like he was just whining about the rule he broke. There are far more heroic ways to go about having rules and policies you don't agree with changed. It reads like a temper tantrum to me.

He was complaining about the rule he broke. But instead of a temper tantrum, he started talking about the supposed freedom of speech we supposedly enjoy here in the US. **looks around** I did say supposed, didn't I? It doesn't look like reality matches supposed theory very well, in this case.

 

[MysticSang'ha]

He was complaining about the rule he broke. But instead of a temper tantrum, he started talking about the supposed freedom of speech we supposedly enjoy here in the US. **looks around** I did say supposed, didn't I? It doesn't look like reality matches supposed theory very well, in this case.

For me, it's rather like if an actor goes completely off-script and if it was done intentionally. An actor who forgets his lines and goes off-script forces everybody to adapt to what normally would be expected. It's murder for the stage manager, too, I'll tell you. If the actor was doing it intentionally, he or she might not see a whole lot of work in the future and will be informally blacklisted because of the outburst.

I see what you're saying, but unfortunately this is a ceremonial speech that must fit within time limits and content to fit within the ceremony's parameters. If he were to rip up his speech, and suddenly go into his own diatribe, who knows how long it will last, what exactly he'll say, if he will do anything else surprising, etc. It's simply a requirement to stay "on script" for the purpose of the ceremony that is planned and rehearsed.

Again, I understand the intent of your point, but a Valedictorian speech is not equivalent to an Open-Mike Night at a club.