Joshua principal’s threat of punishment against valedictorian alleged

[TexasTowelie]

The Joshua High School principal said he would tell the U.S. Naval Academy that valedictorian Remington Reimer had poor character, after he deviated from a pre-approved commencement speech and talked about faith and liberty, according to a Plano legal group.

Reimer, who is entering the academy later this month, has retained the Liberty Institute, which sent a certified letter Thursday to Joshua school district officials saying that they violated state and federal law by editing the speech.

The school district is being asked to issue a public statement that exonerates Reimer of any wrongdoing and pledging that they will follow school district policy in the future.

Schools administrators turned off the microphone during the June 6 commencement speech as Reimer began talking about the Constitution, liberty and his religious faith.

Read more here: http://www.star-telegram.com/2013/06/13/4935115/joshua-principals-threat-of-punishment.html#storylink=cpy

Related thread:
Joshua valedictorian talks about Jesus, has mic turned off
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10789293

[mbperrin]

1. He DOES have poor character.

He agreed to give a prepared speech, and he didn't do it. He sneaked in a personal proselyte for Jesus. Wrong place, wrong message.

The Liberty Institute are the same jackasses that raised a huge ruckus here about getting a Bible course into the two high schools. They made enough noise to get two full time teachers with 12 class sections offered.

Total attendance in 12 periods first year: 63 kids.
Total attendance last year in the two periods offered: 6.

So they are shit disturber fundies intent on pushing themselves on others.

Joshua High School did right and continues to do so. The young man obviously has a huge case of entitlement and is being fed by these Koch-brother funded lawyers into thinking he's really special.

The Naval Academy will make their own decision, I'm sure.

[YarnAddict]

2. This won't be a popular opinion here

but my feeling is that it was his moment; he earned the right to say whatever he wanted. If that's the message he wanted to give, so what???? You don't have to agree with it, you don't have to like it, but he worked hard to become the valedictorian, and he should be able to say whatever.

And for the principal to threaten to destroy the kid's dream is terrible. He should be fired.

[mbperrin]

3. Graduation is for the class, not one individual. He knew and agreed to the rules.

He wrote his speech, then he got it approved. THEN he simply did something else. That's sneaky and underhanded, a character flaw.

This is no principled stand on his part - if it were, he would have insisted on HIS speech, and when turned down, would have stepped down.

Don't know if the event is enough for the Navy to care about - if it is, he did it, he must own it.

But he's gotten lawyered up with some Koch Brothers funded front. I've seen them up close - they're intolerant fundies at their worst.


Not every kid in that class would appreciate being proselyted to Jesus - I wouldn't have, and I'm neither Jewish nor Muslim nor Hindu nor Buddhist nor any of a host of non-Jesus religions. That's offensive to them - they worked as hard and maybe harder than he did simply to graduate.

If he had begun a speech in praise of Charles Manson or Jim Jones, would you feel the same?

I never worry about being the popular opinion - those change with the wind. I'll just be the stubborn jackass I've always been, expecting the best from people, not always getting it, but having hope. Couldn't teach high school any other way.

Thanks for your post.

[YarnAddict]

4. Freedom of speech

In the long run, anything the valedictorian has to say doesn't matter at all. It's part of the ceremony, that's all. the valedictory speech is an honor bestowed to a person based on his/her achievements. Let the kid say whatever he wants, as long as it isn't libelous, or incite a riot, or whatever. then--move on. For people to get all offended because someone mentions Jesus is just plain stupid.

You acknowledge that the principal would have vetoed his speech, had he known the contents beforehand. The question is, why? Just because a few people might have been offended? Big deal. The Constitution protects our right to free speech, and there is no right to not feel offended.

And what the principal did (or threatened to do) was mean, vindictive, retaliatory, and outrageous. He needs to forget it and move on, also. If I were that kid, and my future was in jeopardy because of what some bully of a principal did because he didn't like being defied, I would lawyer up, too.

[mbperrin]

5. I see your trouble now. You're about that kid's age.

You have some silly ideas that you can freely offend others without consequence. You can't.

See, your first line, you were on the verge of the truth - the valedictorian is PART OF THE CEREMONY. And that ceremony does not include trying to convert people to Jesus, including any Jewish, Muslim, or other non-Jesus folk out there. That's wildly offensive to them and their parents in attendance as well. Would it have been okay with you if he had dropped his pants and mooned everyone, Mr. Freedom of Speech?

If the kid were simply in a stage play at school and had rehearsed and learned his lines, but on the night of the performance, simply stepped up and began trying to convert others to Jesus, is THAT part of your freedom of speech? Or would you object to his being shut up and ejected from the play?

The principal did just what he should, because I'll bet that he was one of the personal references the kid asked for on his Naval Academy application. The principal has every right, even a duty, to modify his recommendation when new facts come to light.

Future in jeopardy? Pffft. Just about the whole world never went to the Naval Academy, so it's hardly essential to life. AND there's no evidence that it will actually affect his admission - the principal is simply amending his recommendation, and that's not the only qualification to get in.

And if you would take help from the Koch Brothers and not worry about being a tool in their box, well, then, you don't have any integrity, either. Those two old men are pure evil, and their passing will lighten the sin load on the planet by a noticeable amount.

Well, in the future, after you've used your freedom of speech to preach Jesus instead of selling the customer, answering the coworker's question, responding to the boss's request for information, don't be shocked when you're shown the door, given a bad reference, and lawyers laugh when you want to sue.

After all, if Jesus really wanted that kid to speak, he surely could have turned the microphone back on, couldn't He?

See you around DU, and welcome, for whatever time you spend here.

[TexasTowelie]

6. Another article:

http://blogs.dallasobserver.com/unfairpark/2013/06/silenced_joshua_isd_valedictor.php

[TexasTowelie]

7. Ted Cruz, Bill Flores back North Texas valedictorian who defied speech policy to thank Jesus

WASHINGTON — Texas lawmakers and other conservatives are rallying behind Joshua High School’s valedictorian after his principal allegedly threatened to sabotage his academic career at the U.S. Naval Academy.

The alleged threat came after the student, Remington Reimer, deviated from the school-approved script at graduation June 6, thanking Jesus and

http://www.dallasnews.com/news/education/headlines/20130616-ted-cruz-bill-flores-back-north-texas-valedictorian-who-defied-speech-policy-to-thank-jesus.ece (subscription required)