High School Valedictorian Said The Word Hell So Now She Can't Receive Her Diploma?

[greenie63]

Geesh, give the girl her diploma!

High school valedictorian denied diploma over graduation speech

By Dylan Stableford, Yahoo! News | The Lookout – 8 hrs ago

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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.

"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.

[Logan_Bellasmom]

And she doesn't just write the apology because.......

[Night_Roane]

Ok so she grow up and say sorry and everything will be fine. It's a stupid reason to not get your diploma ("No, I won't say sorry hmph").  I don't know what kind of school it was - it could have been a private school and that language is not allowed. Also, I don't know about you ladies but I remember the valedictorian at my school graduated with a 4.8 or something (all AP classes with straight As). I had a 3.6 and was 1/3 of the way down the class ranking, and I went to a top ranking school, so it wasn't like the grades were just handed out.

[greenie63]

Why should she apologize, and who exactly is she apologizing to? She earned her 4.0 and deserves her diploma. There's also this thing called the first amendment, which will protect her. Maybe "hell" slipped out instead of "heck." I don't understand why the school board feels this is an issue. 

[Logan_Bellasmom]

breaking school rules? Changing her approved speech? and the first doesnt count in school when you sign school rules.

Quoting greenie63:

Why should she apologize, and who exactly is she apologizing to? She earned her 4.0 and deserves her diploma. There's also this thing called the first amendment, which will protect her. Maybe "hell" slipped out instead of "heck." I don't understand why the school board feels this is an issue. 

[FL2AK]

I think the school is being ridiculous.

[Pnukey]

So apologize. It'll take 10 seconds and then she can get her diploma. They can't let this pass or the speeches will get progressively worse over the years. If she si allowed to say "hell" then maybe next year they'll start throwing in other curse words and what not.

Sooo, she needs to be a grown up and apologize.

[ColtsFan1912]

Im more offended she did it based on a book from the Twilight series *gags*

[parentalrights1]

Is hell a curse word or a place people? Seriously?

 She better not apologize and tehy better give her that damn diploma she worked for.

[Lizard_Lina]

I don't see the big deal but I also don't see why its a big deal to write an apology. "I'm sorry I used the word. I know now that it was a mistake." What's that take 30 seconds?

[numonestunar]

I think I said hell in my speech too...i know it wasn't word for word of what was approved.
That school should lighten up.