Posted on 06/19/2006 2:02:05 PM PDT by Indy Pendance
A local high school graduation ended with roars of protest after school officials turned the microphone off right in the middle of one of the valedictorian's speeches. The microphone cut out after the valedictorian at Foothill High made reference to God.
The family says the District's decision isn't fair. Brittney McComb says she's a straight A student, number one in her class, and is headed to Biola University in the fall.
Brittney attributes all of her success to God. Trouble is, she tried to explain that during her speech which the school district said they told her beforehand was a no-no.
"God's love is so great."
This was part of the speech that Brittney McComb says she so wanted to give on graduation night. But because it did have numerous references to God and Jesus Christ, the school district cut off the mic, leaving her practically silent. That's when many people stood up and booed, showing their support.
Now, the day after, McComb says she got nothing but support from her fellow students. "All of my classmates came up to me and were so happy. They told me they loved me and I said God's awesome because I couldn't have done it without him."
McComb says the district reviewed her speech beforehand, just like everyone else. But she says they sent it back with the last half chopped off.
"They said it was offensive, it identifies a particular religion," explains McComb. "I really think it's free speech; we're American, we should be able to handle that."
We asked her father about that.
Rob McMillan: We have freedom of speech, but what about separation of church and state?
Michael McComb: They brought that up, and they say they were going to give us some documentation to prove why she could say that in her speech.
They said the documentation was ambiguous. That was when Brittney said she took it upon herself to go ahead and give her speech as written, no matter what the consequences might be.
The district tells News 3 there are guidelines for what valedictorians can and can't say, but they didn't get back to us on our request for an interview. A district spokesperson told us they were not trying to avoid interviews on this subject and that multiple graduation ceremonies prevented top administrators from giving us an interview.
The school district maintains it was simply following procedure at the Foothill Graduation.
We're told students are required to submit their speeches in writing ahead of time and they're told if they deviate from the script at all, their microphones will be cut off. The district maintains that's exactly what happened in this case.
I wouldn't give a fetid dingo's kidneys for most public school administrators.
This student is making more of an impact for Christ by being willing to stand alone. The school can turn off the mic but they can't dim the Light of the Lord Jesus Christ reflected in her life.
Where on Earth did you get that this is about me? It's not.
If she'd said Allah had blessed everything she'd done, would they have pulled the plug? Somehow I don't think so.
What is the matter with you?
Freedom first Pete.
It's not just part of the NRA's fund raising spiel, it actually means something.
...thanks for making that point to the useful idiot.
Lots of activists have learned to how to spin coverage of their pets cause by taking offense or acting offended.
HF
And BTW, you don't know what the "law" is. The current state of constitutional law regarding student rights is expressed in Tinker v De Moines. I suggest you read it.
Sharia, in one form or another, coming to a town near you.
It's the minority rules rule. Anything that offends 3 people must be banned. The 200 million just have to suck it up.
Story says they cut her off as soon as she mentioned God. Doesn't sound like they 'reacted' to her 'slap in the face', sounds more like they were sitting at the ready, waiting to slap HER in the face in public.
BTW, throughout American history our bravest forerunners have shown us that the best way to change unfair, unconstitutional laws and policies is to disobey them. You've been so brainwashed by the liberal educators that you've lost all true perspective. What if Rosa Parks tried to change the local laws before she decided to break them and sit up front in the bus? No offense, but you speak like a coward.
Before the federal government started funding schools, "government sanctioned" would have required an overt statement of support by the government. Funding, however, is an implicit endorsement of the activities at the school.
Including a commencement event where you have thousands of students and parents all effectively trapped. They came to see a high-school graduation, not a sermon. A scholastic event, not a religious one.
Do you think freedom to exercise religion and freedom of speech should give you the right to force your opinions on somebody else ? Shouldn't they have to be a willing audience, with the freedom to walk away from your speech ? It is petty to take advantage of a captive audience this way.
Talks cheap, why don't you fill out a little of your profile.
And since when can anybody tell you not to 'bring up religion', when you're expected to talk about yourself...if you happen to be religious?
The soviet state is alive and well on the pages of Free Republic.
When I had my college master's graduation, (state college), the speaker told us how bad the police were to black people, how they beat them, and how the black people were oppressed, she droned on and on, and an uplifting cermony, on MOther's day. Here in WI, That professor from Colorado, was paid by state funds to talk at a state funded college about how the survivors on 9-11 deserved it. But, mention God, and you're banned.
Evidently you've been well ensconced in that august position for some time now.
Congrats!
These type of speeches should just be about 5 minutes long - a joke, a quote by JFK or MLK, apply the quote tenuously to the high school years, thank the parents and teachers, wish everybody luck.
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