Principal forbids first black valedictorian from giving speech

[left-of-center2012]

Principal forbids first black valedictorian from giving speech so City Hall steps in

Jaisaan Lovett graduated from University Preparatory Charter School for Young Men (Rochester, NY) as the valedictorian last month, with a full scholarship to Clark Atlanta University. He is the school's first black valedictorian and, as such, had some things to say in his speech.

Instead, the school refused to let him speak, the result of what Lovett believes is personal animosity on school leader Joseph Munno's part. As it happens, though, he has a powerful friend: Mayor Lovely Warren, in whose office he works as an intern.
Warren invited him to City Hall to deliver the speech and posted it on the city's official YouTube channel.

"Unfortunately, Jaisaan's school did not allow him to give his valedictorian speech," Warren said in the video. "For some reason, his school — in a country where freedom of speech is a constitution right, and the city of Frederick Douglass — turned his moment of triumph into a time of sorrow and pain.

Munno and the school did not respond to a request for comment. UPrep, an all-male school serving grades 7-12, is one of Rochester's best regarded charter schools, with annual graduation rates well above 90 percent.
Lovett said he'd had numerous run-ins with Munno over his six years at UPrep.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/principal-forbids-first-black-valedictorian-from-giving-speech-so-city-hall-steps-in/ar-AAzygmi

[uponit7771]

1. K&R, so hateful ... those opportunities are one in a lifetime

[mythology]

2. Unfortunately one doesn't have a lot of recourse when dealing with a private school

[jayschool2013]

4. Aren't charter schools part of the public school system?

If so, they're subject to the First Amendment and can't censor student speech unless the speech a) is libelous; b) is obscene; c) invades someone's privacy; d) creates a likely disruption in the educational process.

[vi5]

7. Ha! Good one....

The only thing Charter schools have in common with public schools is that they take public money but want to be exempt from all those pesky rules and regulations.

They are also supposed to use a random lottery for their admissions process as well. Yet they find ways around that.

All Charter schools are is a way to bust teachers unions under the guise of "school choice".

And for all the exceptions they get, they still don't do any better than public schools. In a lot of cases even worse.

[Pacifist Patriot]

15. Yep! Wish more people understood this.

In my state, they are also a way to enrich legislators who have financial interests in some of these institutions. Charter schools syphon money away from the public schools and are, at times, thinly veiled ways to keep the student body whiter and christianer.

[heaven05]

3. wow

bless this young man. Hope he has a successful life. This being ameriKKKa, we'll see.

[MichMary]

5. I haven't read the speech

Is it possible it has some religious content?

[NutmegYankee]

8. Religious content isn't grounds to stop a speech.

It's actually common for valedictorians to mention faith in God.

[PatrickforO]

6. MASSIVE CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE.

MASSIVE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT.

[Scurrilous]

9. K&R

[milestogo]

10. The bigots are emboldened by Trump.

[smirkymonkey]

11. This is so wrong!

Because of Trump, these racists don't even feel like they need to hide it anymore. It's sickening! I hope this young man goes far. Being successful is the best revenge.

[Initech]

12. #Civility

God damn these racist motherfuckers!

[sl8]

13. Youtube: Jaisaan Lovett's Valedictorian Speech

Speech begins at 2:28.

Jaisaan Lovett's Valedictorian Speech
City of Rochester, NY .Mayor's Office

Published on Jul 2, 2018

This year, Jaisaan Lovett became the first African American valedictorian in the history of the University Preparatory Charter School for Young Men, here in Rochester. Unfortunately, Jaisaan’s school did not allow him to give his valedictory speech at his graduation.

Mayor Warren is honored to give Jaisaan this opportunity to take his bow.

[lagomorph777]

17. Well, that school has just flushed its reputation down the toilet.

As a former Rochesterian, I am ashamed.