High school valedictorian denied diploma for a hell of a graduation

1. 88

   Stacie Lposted 12 years ago

   Kaitlin Nootbaar graduated her Oklahoma high school as valedictorian, and shes gearing up to start college on a full scholarship. Yet she still doesn't have her high school diploma.
   
   What the hell?
   
   During her graduation speech at Prague High School in May, Kaitlin dropped an innocuous H-bomb, and the school wants her to apologize, KFOR-TV reported.
   
   Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/nationa … z24BRzr6Zj
   
   
   How crazy is that? Shes an adult and slipped so now she has to be denied her diploma? Is the principal  over reacting?

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      prettydarkhorseposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      overreaction. She was just being honest to everybody and herself, she does not know what the hell she wanted to do with her life - what college course to take

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   2. 69

      Ralph Deedsposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      I hope she dropped the f-you bomb on the idiot principal.

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   3. 84

      gmwilliamsposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      I read the article yesterday.   I was totally floored by the reaction of the principal.    The young lady should have received her diploma.   Hell is not a bad word in comparison to the words some teens use today.     Of course, the principal is overreacting!    This is the 21st, not the 19th century!

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      Sophia Angeliqueposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      The Dad should sue the school for withholding what was rightfully hers. At this point, the word, hell, can only mildly be called an epithet.

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   5. 0

      Sooner28posted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Stupidity, stupidity, stupidity

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2. 60

   Jonathan Jancoposted 12 years ago

   Is it even legal for a principal to withhold someone's diploma for any reason other than failing to meet academic requirements? To withhold a diploma for behavioral reasons I would think the offense would have to approach something felonious. Is it a felony to say the word 'hell' in the state of Oklahoma? Honestly, I wouldn't be shocked if it was.

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3. 61

   shea duaneposted 12 years ago

   Is hell even a 'bad' word anymore? wtf???

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   1. 69

      Ralph Deedsposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      There are very few "bad words" left, only formal English, slang and non-pc words such as crippled for disabled, the N-word for African-American and a few others. I hear "pissed" fairly often on network TV, but sxxt hasn't made it yet for some curious reason. The F word is commonly used in the New Yorker and many other publications, but it hasn't yet made the NY Times or HubPages so far as I know.

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4. 80

   JayeWisdomposted 12 years ago

   While I've heard of academic diplomas being "held" until students paid money owed to the school or university, this is the first time I've heard of one being withheld because of something a graduate said during the graduation ceremony. If I were the student, I'd question the legality. By the time this story goes viral, the school administrators will probably regret this action. At any rate, a student who worked hard to earn valedictorian status did not deserve to be penalized in this manner.

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5. 73

   Mighty Momposted 12 years ago

   I think that very soon that principal is not going to know what the HELL happened to his job.
   
   The young lady is all over the news. She is a very sympathetic character.
   She even says that if the issue is she "sinned' by saying "hell" she would be double sinning by lying with an apology.
   Good for her.

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   1. 69

      Ralph Deedsposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Smart cookie!

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6. 0

   Elizabeth Dorssomposted 12 years ago

   Hell isn't even considered a bad word anymore! This just shows how backwards that part of the United States is. Hell, even if she had used a legitimate bad word, who cares? It is just a word and she obviously worked hard to earn her diploma!

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      gmwilliamsposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      As I have said before, some people are VERY CHALLENGED!

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7. 95

   Glimmer Twin Fanposted 12 years ago

   Total overreaction and I have news for the principal.  The word hell is a lot tamer than words that most of those high school kids are using and have heard.

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      Thelma Albertsposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      I agree with you Glimmer Twin Fan. WTF is more worse. Maybe that principal still live in the middle age time.

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      1. 93

         Thelma Albertsposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         still lives..

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8. 0

   planetwayposted 12 years ago

   Slap me, I'm having a nightmare that I live on Planet Punitive. No...wait...I do!

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9. 92

   lorddraven2000posted 12 years ago

   This story really took me off guard. I know teachers in that school have probably said worse. To punish a kid for making a comment that really was not geared in any way to be offensive seems absurd to me. The child is now an adult and those who set in front of her were the same. I think it was blown way out of proportion.

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