All material performed, spoken, or shown during the ceremony is reviewed and approved by school personnel and administration to be sure it is appropriate to the tone of the ceremony. Students participating in the graduation ceremony go through at least one rehearsal of the overall event, with a particular emphasis on the timing of performances and speeches. “Each year, our elementary, middle, and high schools go over graduation/promotion ceremony expectations and guidelines for speeches, presentations, and performances with their graduates, so the students know what to expect during the event. The school district’s remarks, in full, can be read below: In the lengthy statement, the school district confirmed that students are instructed not to make “personal political statements,” but claimed that Moricz’s speech had not yet been reviewed by school officials. WFLA contacted Sarasota County Schools for comment regarding the student’s claims that school leaders at Pine View are threatening to cut off his microphone if he speaks about certain topics during his graduation speech.
It is called freedom of speech,” said Covelli. It is against everything that Americans live for. “An educator means you educate, you don’t silence people. It has already gained more than 5,600 signatures.Ĭhristopher Covelli, the vice president of the non-profit group Project Pride, says he’s standing with the teen. The Florida-based Social Equity and Education Initiative campaign launched a petition in response, raising support to #LetZanderSpeak.
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