Kaitlin Nootbaar graduated from Prague High School, the Red Devils, in May and was named valedictorian. When tasked with writing the graduation speech, her dad said she got her inspiration from the movie “Eclipse: The Twilight Saga.”This was a valedictory speech, given by a girl who had straight As and 4.0s all the way through school. She is supposed to start college in a few days on a full scholarship. The school is withholding her diploma until she issues a public apology for using the word "hell" in public.
“Her quote was, ‘When she first started school she wanted to be a nurse, then a veterinarian and now that she was getting closer to graduation, people would ask her, what do you want to do and she said how the hell do I know? I’ve changed my mind so many times.’”
He said in the written script she gave to the school she wrote “heck,” but in the moment she said “hell” instead.
Nootbaar said the audience laughed, she finished her speech to warm applause and didn’t know there was a problem.
And this from the administration of an Oklahoma institution that uses "Red Devils" as its school mascot. Video at the link.
I graduated from Prague High School many years ago, and just happend to be there this night, because my niece, a friend of Kaitlin, was also graduating.
ReplyDeleteThere was mild laughter, I guess some might have been shocked that 'hell' was said, but seconds later no one gave it another thought. Well no one but the principal and superintendent, I guess.
I was more shocked by her honesty, that she didn't know what she was going to do, instead of the normal well thought out plans you normally hear from such speeches.
Interesting. Thanks, John.
DeleteReminded me of U. Utah Phillips speech to a graduating class: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xuegVoHM4tY
ReplyDeleteSeems like the right solution is for her to publicly say something to the effect of "I am so G.D. f%^&ing sorry".
ReplyDeleteWell, that's a word that shows up in the Bible, too :D
ReplyDeleteHow very odd this is. I cannot imagine how a diploma could be withheld over this incidence. At the very worst, her saying "hell" in such a way might be considered rude. But, come on, withholding the diploma until an apology is issued? Is that how true apologies are born? Good grief.
ReplyDeleteThose who can't teach, administrate. Those who can't administrate make up stupid rules (and then, probably, run for congress).
ReplyDeleteI would apologize, get the diploma then tell them to go to hell.
ReplyDeleteShe should just tell them to go to hell. I got into college with no diploma and it sounds like she's already been accepted.
ReplyDelete(My dad got into college with no diploma too, but that was 1946).
The poor girl can take some comfort in the realization that she's surrounded by assholes--arguably the most important lesson she's learned to date. Welcome to the real world, Kaitlin.
ReplyDeleteUnbelievable . . . these comments. While there are certainly worse things this girl could do, do we really want our teenagers using curse words (I know they already do) . . . in a very public setting . . . at a family event? I don't know that withholding the diploma was the right thing to do . . . but what else CAN you do? It is part of the problem with our culture. Nobody can say anything to someone who does not respect others . . . that person just ups the disrepect level. Using decent language is just a sign of respect for others. Isn't that what liberals are all about? Respecting others?
ReplyDeleteBut her language wasn't disrespectful of others and reflects how people her age talk to one another. Her speech is supposed to be inspiring and entertaining to her peers/fellow students.
ReplyDeleteI found the line entertaining and it brought a smile to my lips followed by the thought, "Well, what the hell does anyone know really?" I certainly don't know what I want to do and I'm flippin' 30 years old, lol!
@Timothy: I'm sorry but, even in my generation (I'm 35), hell, damn, god damn and other such words are not considered curse words in any sense and I know the language is even loser in the younger generations. There was no intention of disrespect and people need to get over themselves. People need to stop searching for reasons to be offended and get on with their damn lives.
ReplyDelete@Heather - Her language was disrepectful to those who don't appreciate that kind of language, of whom there are many. I am sure that you are right that that is how people her age talk to each other. That doesn't make it right. (I know . . . what is "right" is somewhat of a quaint notion these days) I am sure that there are plenty of people who were amused by the line, but it was not her place to make that decision for the many who might have been there with children. Those who DO care about language make an effort to keep their children from hearing inappropriate language. They avoid certain movies, songs, locations, etc. There are certain public places you ought to be able to go without worrying about what your children might hear.
ReplyDeleteAccording to the news reports that I have read, she mistakenly used her curse word in the place of the planned word "heck". I can see that happening. If it was just a mistake, why doesn't she apologize, get her diploma, and move on with HER life. It's because this is not really about the word. It's about the attitude that goes with this kind of language. If the school administration just ignored this, what kind of door do you think that would open up for students in future speeches. I seriously doubt the school board is made up of a bunch of prudes. Unfortunately, there is almost NO control left at government schools. They are probably trying to hang on to the tiny bit they have. And, by the way, children do need to be under control while they are learning to grow up.
@REAPER - With all kindness and respect to you, I say that you proved my point exactly. Our culture has become very coarse and vulgar, and it has not been to the betterment of society. Many people today have the attitude of "I am going to use this language and if you don't like it you can shove it." This is the total lack of respect for others of which I am speaking. It manifests itself in the way people drive, the way people blast their music through the neighborhoods, and many other ways. People do not respect each other too well. Americans in general have come to consider "rights" to mean that they can do whatever they want to do and who cares what anybody else thinks. We have forgotten that our rights and freedoms also carry with them responsibilities and obligations. For example, "I have the right to say whatever I want, but I will be responsible enough not to use that language in certain situations." Men used to know not to curse in front of women and children. Now, women are as foul mouthed as men, and grade school children use every word in the book. Do you really think we are better off for this? By the way, those words are curse words no matter who considers them not to be.
In the end, I have nothing personal against either one of you. I am saddened by our degraded culture. We are on the verge of absolute anarchy, and stories like this throughout the news are just small evidences of the collapse that is coming. There will be nobody who will like the final results.
Timothy, I'm glad to have you on board this blog. Your worldview is a definitely more conservative than the majority of readers here, but it deserves to be heard, and you express it with an admirable eloquence.
DeleteStan, thank you for your kind words and for your respect to those with differing world views. Your respect has been demonstrated often in your replies to others. I don't comment often because I don't want to comment unless I have the time to say something worth reading. I happily confess that my world view is based, to the best of my ability, squarely on the Bible. Ultimately, one word matters to me . . . truth.
DeleteThank you for the exceptionally interesting blog with a wonderful variety of things that I just don't find anywhere else! While I don't often agree with your philosophy, I do respect your intelligence, your inquisitiveness, and your productivity in life.
You have your opinion about her supposed lack of respect, but I personally feel that the administration have shown a far greater lack of respect by blackmailing an apology out of her than she may have by using a very mild curse word in a speech addressing her peers. (a word that isn't even really considered a curse word anymore).
DeleteDo you believe in disproportional punishment?
This is just another example of petty people showing their true colors by trying to force this young woman to write an apology for a slip of the tounge in a public speech. I don't care what anyone says--you will hear that word, and worse, in public use in Prague and anywhere else you go. The biggest difference is this was more than likely unintentional and she should not punished for its happening. The small minded people are the ones who take offense at things like this and then insist that everyone else think the way they do. I am an Okie, also, and old enough to remember using worse words, in public, as a teenager. Although this was back when people assumed it was just a phase you were going through and treated it accordingly. Not using those words in front of delicate women may have been correct back in the fifties, but reality took over in the 60's and women were much tougher than anyone thought. I agree with Anon that the school officials are the ones who show disrespect in trying to treat her like a child and not an adult who made a simple mistake. Personally, I hope she doesn't give in and has a lawyer to back her up
ReplyDelete