Posted on 08/20/2012 10:58:23 AM PDT by Robwin
There’s a bit of diploma drama going on between a local high school and that school’s valedictorian.
David Nootbaar is furious his daughter’s school is keeping her diploma.
He said, “She has worked so hard to stay at the top of her class and this is not right.”
Kaitlin Nootbaar graduated from Prague High School 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.”
Nootbaar said, “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 h*** do I know? I’ve changed my mind so many times.’”
(Excerpt) Read more at kfor.com ...
But, then, neither is the news anchor nor the reporter. All obviously innocent.
Plus the punishment does seem somewhat excessive.
A diploma is nothing more than a piece of paper. If she has met the requirements to graduate, the school can not prevent her from graduating and that is all that matters to colleges and employers, (they want official transcripts, not a copy of that easily forgeable piece of paper that the school handed out.) If it means that much to you to put something on the wall, copy a friends and change the name in photoshop.
Unless it is a Christian school, the superintendent is being a total ass
It’s all a big slippery slope.
If the school lets this Valedictorian get away with making a speech with the H.E. Double Hockey Sticks word, the next Valedictorian may say “Heck,” “Darn” or even “Dang” in her valedictorian speech.
Why don't they view this as a teaching/learning moment for the public?
Not quite true .. this is the only EVIDENCE you can present to prove your qualifications. Generally, these are assumed documents - Colleges may perform a background check to see if your name appears on the roles as a graduate - but should the burden of proof be required - the Diploma is your proof.
That said, I agree with you that SHE owns the Diploma - not the school. When she completed her last legally required day of class attendance, and having passed the required classes with anything above the minimum grade - she paid for, and earned the Diploma. As a juror, I would have no problem at all finding the School and administrators PERSONALLY responsible for Felony theft (definition: "In common usage, theft is the taking of another person's property without that person's permission or consent with the intent to deprive the rightful owner of it") - and I say "Felony" because in my view, spending 12 years working towards an education is well worth more than $1,000.
Perhaps if the Superintendant, Principle and other adminstrators were convicted of Felony theft, spent a year or so in jail and lost their credentials to teach - this abuse of power would stop.
The "students" at the ceremony have already completed the requirements for their Diploma. Therefore, those diplomas are the student's property. The ceremony is simply a way of passing the physical possession of property over to the owner. Upon completion of the last class hour, the last legally required day of attendance - with the minimum passing grade - the student, not the Administrators, own that document.
As far as the speech goes - do we, or do we not have the right of Freedom of Speech? After the last class, these are now citizens, not students. They may say any word they chose in their speech, including profanity. At the same token, the school reserves the right to remove said profane speaker from the stand, because the school is in charge of the venue. Say what you will - but no one has the right to demand that you can continue with the speech.
However, "stealing" your earned documentation is something that should be considered Felony theft - and IMHO, prosecuted. I'd have no problem throwning these clowns in jail, and permanently destroying their means of earning an income in the education system. In many states, the monetary value that raises theft to a Felony is $1,000. I'd say that 12 years of one's life becoming educated is worth far more than $1,000.
The piece of paper called a ‘diploma’ is one thing; the school records for the student are quite another.
I recall being told that a student is ‘graduated from’ a given school and it is up to that school whether they will confer a diploma or not.
Still, the whole issue here, on first blush at least, seems more than a little silly,
Ya know, this is just not a hill worth dying on, in my opinion.
I would write a letter of apology.
BUT, in it, I would mention freedom of speech.
In the grand scheme, this is a small hurdle.
No, I don’t believe they have the right to keep the diploma, but really, with so much else going on, college to start soon, etc., I’d just write the letter and be done with it.
So hire a lawyer, and sue the school board’s ass off.
This is where I disagree.
I don’t respond well to bullies, not well at all. And, this is nothing more than a bully tactic.
If your boss made you “perform” to get your paycheck, would you tolerate that? Want the keys to the new car you just bought ... well, first you have to do something to “my satisfaction” ... and if not, well ... I keep the keys until I think you deserve to get them. .... wrong!!
School is an institution for learning, and this teaches the opposite lesson that should be taught. This is nothing more than a power play by people who feel that they have the right to make demands upon others - and my view is to knock them down so far that they will be begging forgiveness - and will never be placed in a position of authority again.
What, pray tell, did the Superintendant actually tell this young lady (who is obviously not guilty of anything ~ ever!)
I have never been asked for a copy of my diploma. Every time it has been my transcript and to have it sent directly from the school, not something I hand over.
Agreed. Most schools hand out blank pieces of rolled up paper and mail the diplomas after the ceremony. It's all part of bullying the students and families attending graduation by setting out behavior rules. If a parent should whistle as their kid walks across the stage then there's h e double hockey sticks to pay and no diploma. Excuse me, but it's those parent taxpayers who pay the principal's salary and vote for the board members. For some strange reason, today's parents are wimps and have turned over all power to the schools when they are the ones who hold the purse strings.
NOT GUILTY!
Yeah...a written apology is in order. Swearing during a graduation speech is not appropriate. Not a large issue, but a written apology is appropriate. Too bad the student and her parents are letting their pride prevent them from doing the right thing.
Prior to my college career, I was asked for my diploma when applying for a job at a Dept. store (where I worked throughout my college career).
At my present job, I was required to bring my Diploma in, along with an “unofficial” copy of my transcripts. This allowed me to start without waiting 30 days for the transcripts to arrive from the college.
Guess it depends upon where you live, and what you do.
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