<p>18-year-old Jem Lugo recently graduated from Springstead High School with a 3.98 GPA. She’s smart. Smart enough to be attending Harvard in the fall. She is also the valedictorian of her class, and therefore is tasked with delivering a speech at graduation.</p>
<p>But Ms. Lugo did not get to deliver the speech she wanted to. When she submitted her original draft to principal Susan Duval, she was told to “start over.” Lugo also says that “the senior class sponsor, who read the speech first, used the word ‘appalled.’”</p>
<p>So what did she say? The original speech isn’t exactly “I Have A Dream.” It is, however, the sort of thing that her fellow students would probably have found hilarious. A few examples:</p>
<p>"We survived 13 grueling years of school, all for this moment, where we get to wear gowns that kind of remind me of a silk version of a Snuggie, and these hats that make every single one of us look absolutely ridiculous. Hate to break it to you, but no one looks good in these hats. Even you, Ben Noury. "</p>
<p>"First off, get money. You can’t do anything without money. Do something with your life where you’re able to have a steady, reliable, source of income. Gamers, I’m sorry, but farming for gold in World of Warcraft is not considered a RELIABLE, or socially-acceptable source of income. "</p>
<p>[Valedictorian’s</a> Commencement Speech Censored - What Exactly Did She Say? - ParentDish](<a href=“http://www.parentdish.com/2009/06/05/valedictorians-commencement-speech-censored-what-exactly-did/?icid=main|main|dl3|link4|http%3A%2F%2Fwww.parentdish.com%2F2009%2F06%2F05%2Fvaledictorians-commencement-speech-censored-what-exactly-did%2F]Valedictorian’s”>http://www.parentdish.com/2009/06/05/valedictorians-commencement-speech-censored-what-exactly-did/?icid=main|main|dl3|link4|http%3A%2F%2Fwww.parentdish.com%2F2009%2F06%2F05%2Fvaledictorians-commencement-speech-censored-what-exactly-did%2F)</p>
<p>The seniors would have loved that speech.</p>
<p>Sounds like she’d make a good Class Day speaker at Harvard someday.</p>
<p>Of course, once she’s up on the podium…</p>
<p>I saw this topic and expected a val saying something really awful. I may be dense but I can’t find anything wrong with this speech.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>She mocks tradition. What did she want to wear, an evening gown? Something to show how hip she and her friends are?</p>
<p>Some of her classmates survived “13 grueling years” of not having good enough clothes, etc. Why not one day where everyone looks (almost) the same, as one class?</p>
<p>^Sometimes tradition deserves to be mocked.</p>
<p>SoO, don’t forget that some grads are first generation and may want to don traditional robes.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>It’s humor, satire. Imagine Conan O’Brien giving the valedictorian speech, and you might get something close to this. This speech would be far more memorable than any of the usual inspirational types.</p>
<p>They are high school students. I think they should laugh and be happy that they are moving on to another, more serious phase of their lives.</p>
<p>I thought it was a wonderful speech – one that her classmates would enjoy, relate to, and remember. I don’t understand the school’s administrators’ viewpoint.</p>
<p>Gee. They would have hated my D’s . And her administrators didn’t change a word. That’s a pretty tame speech. Why all the fuss? I was expecting something different.</p>
<p>Sounds hilarious, is the full version available anywhere?</p>
<p>Who says they can’t wear the traditional robes AND poke fun at them?</p>
<p>Both versions are here: [Rejected</a> and approved speeches of Springstead valedictorian Jem Lugo - St. Petersburg Times](<a href=“http://www.tampabay.com/news/education/k12/article1007369.ece]Rejected”>http://www.tampabay.com/news/education/k12/article1007369.ece)</p>
<p>I didn’t find it to be offensive, nor particularly clever. I think she watched Ellen’s Tulane speech and tried to catch some of her whimsy.</p>
<p>Caps and gowns are the only form of medieval clothing that we still wear today. They could use a little mocking.</p>
<p>Lugo pwned her plagiarizing principal (who had been fined for her own graduation speech): [Springstead</a> High valedictorian Jem Lugo was right about speech - St. Petersburg Times](<a href=“http://www.tampabay.com/news/education/k12/article1007894.ece]Springstead”>http://www.tampabay.com/news/education/k12/article1007894.ece)</p>
<p>I’m torn. I really liked her speech. But I will confess that if my D (who gave a speech last year as school prez) had shown me a draft of that speech, I would have been uncomfortable having her give it. But then again, it doesn’t sound like my D’s voice or personality, but probably matches the voice/persona of the writer. Ultimately, though, if I were a principal, I would have let her deliver it.</p>
<p>DS just got his masters degree…and guess what…They did NOT wear caps and gowns. There are other colleges that don’t use that TRADITION either (College of Charleston grads don’t wear them either). </p>
<p>Personally, I didn’t find anything offensive about the speech. What kind of high school did she attend…very very conservative???</p>
<p>I didn’t find the speech offensive at all. I went to graduation at the local charter school a few days ago (a friend’s son graduated) and any graduating senior who wanted to do so could speak. The final speaker was a kid who blasted the school saying that as a conservative, he felt a total lack of acceptance for his political views amongst faculty and students. While I wondered why he decided to go to the school (it’s part of the Coalition of Essential Schools and has a educational philosophy that is somewhat different from that of most public schools), I didn’t see any problem with this student expressing his views.</p>
<p>Wow, how embarrassing for that principal.</p>