Oy. Perhaps this school district itself needs a little schooling in the First Amendment, and what passes for conversational English these days.
Is this Prague, Oklahoma, or Prague in the old Soviet satellite Czechoslovakia?
High school valedictorian denied diploma over graduation speech
By Dylan Stableford, Yahoo! News | The Lookout
An Oklahoma high school valedictorian who used the word “hell” in her graduation speech in May has yet to receive her diploma.
Kaitlin Nootbaar graduated from Prague High School with a 4.0 grade point average, her father, David Nootbaar, told KFOR-TV. But school administrators told him that Kaitlin would have to submit a written apology in order to get her diploma.
Valedictorian Kaitlin Nootbaar, Prague High School, Prague Oklahoma; Kaitlin has been denied the physical diploma for use of the word “hell” in her valedictory address – KFOR image
“We went to the office and asked for the diploma and the principal said, ‘Your diploma is right here but you’re not getting it. Close the door, we have a problem,'” David Nootbaar told the network.
“She worked so hard to stay at the top of her class,” he said. “This is not right.”
In her speech—inspired by a similar address in “Eclipse: The Twilight Saga”—Kaitlin recounted how annoying it is to be constantly asked what she wants to do as graduation approached. “How the hell do I know?” she said, according to her father. “I’ve changed my mind so many times.”
In the version she submitted to the school for approval, “hell” was “heck.” But in the version she delivered at graduation, “hell” it was.
The school declined to comment. “This matter is confidential and we cannot publicly say anything about it,” Prague schools Superintendent Rick Martin said in a statement to KFOR.
Surely Kelly Shackleford’s group will swoop in to the defense of Ms. Noorbaar. What? Shackleford is Missing in Action?
More:
- High school valedictorian denied diploma for saying ‘hell’ during grad speech (mega949.com)
- High school valedictorian denied diploma for saying ‘hell’ during grad speech (radio.woai.com)
- Kaitlin Nootbaar, Oklahoma High School Valedictorian, Denied Diploma For Using ‘Hell’ In Speech (huffingtonpost.com)
- Valedictorian denied diploma after “hell” quote in speech (boingboing.net)
- Valedictorian in Oklahoma Denied High School Diploma Because She Said “Hell” in Graduation Speech (libertycrier.com)
- Valedictorian fights for diploma after speech inspired by ‘Twilight’ (myfox8.com)
Posted by Ed Darrell 
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