# Principal Denies 1st Black Valedictorian Speech, So Mayor Invites Student To City Hall Instead



## weaveadiva (Jul 5, 2018)

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https://www.cbsnews.com/news/princi...to-give-speech-so-rochester-mayor-intervenes/

Jaissan Lovett said he was never asked to give a graduation speech, though past valedictorians had gotten to, according to the newspaper. When he asked to speak anyway, he said the principal, Joseph Munno, said no.

"He didn't want to see the speech or what it said, nothing," Lovett told the Democrat and Chronicle. "He just said no." The paper said Munno declined to comment.

Mayor Warren invited Lovett, who works in her office as an intern, to deliver the speech at City Hall. She then posted it on her YouTube channel and Facebook page.

The school's board of trustees responded to the controversy in a Facebook post, saying they're "aware of the concern" and will be "reviewing the circumstances regarding what happened." They wished Lovett "much success as he continues his education at Clark Atlanta University, which he will attend on full scholarship, according to the Democrat and Chronicle.

UPrep, an all-male school serving grades 7-12, is one of Rochester's best regarded charter schools, according to the Democrat and Chronicle, with annual graduation rates well above 90 percent.


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## Belle Du Jour (Jul 5, 2018)

So...other than blatant racism, what was the reason the principal gave for not allowing him to speak although past valedictorians were able to.


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## Theresamonet (Jul 5, 2018)

It’s nice that he got to recite his speech. But that principal needs to be fired.


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## LdyKamz (Jul 5, 2018)

Valedictorians give speeches at graduation. Every graduation, everywhere. So what circumstances could have warranted him being denied? It makes zero sense. I wonder what fake excuse the principal will give for this.


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## MzRhonda (Jul 5, 2018)

LdyKamz said:


> Valedictorians give speeches at graduation. Every graduation, everywhere. So what circumstances could have warranted him being denied? It makes zero sense. I wonder what fake excuse the principal will give for this.


Ours don't give speeches automatically but the students have to "apply" to be one of the graduation speakers and they are then picked by a select group.


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## dicapr (Jul 5, 2018)

LdyKamz said:


> Valedictorians give speeches at graduation. Every graduation, everywhere. So what circumstances could have warranted him being denied? It makes zero sense. I wonder what fake excuse the principal will give for this.



Some schools don’t allow speeches and are doing away with valedictorians period.  I would have to find out whether the school’s policy had changed recently or not.

 A white student in my home state didn’t get the title of Valedictorian even though he had the highest GPA at his high school. The school decided not to recognize that achievement anymore. 

I need more info before I pass judgement. If the policy changed it is what it is. If the policy hadn’t changed than the principal needs to be fired.


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## Reinventing21 (Jul 6, 2018)

^^^Then why didn't the principal say that at the time and why would the policy change the first year an African American earns the title?? The principal simply said no....no expanation. Why? Because of his hateful racist heart. I will not believe any excuse he comes up with.


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## dicapr (Jul 6, 2018)

Reinventing21 said:


> ^^^Then why didn't the principal say that at the time and why would the policy change the first year an African American earns the title?? The principal simply said no....no expanation. Why? Because of his hateful racist heart. I will not believe any excuse he comes up with.



We actually have very little background on what happened. The principle said no to the speach. We have no idea if the policy was announced to the student body and the young man wanted to give the speach despite the change. That is what happened in N.C.  The change was announced but the student and family pushed to continue how things were the year before. 

I’m not defending anything but in education things that were a given in years past aren’t anymore. Once it comes out (which it probably will) that the policy had not changed I will concede the principle is a racist.


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## Reinventing21 (Jul 6, 2018)

@dicapr  From the info in tbe article, it does not sound like the NC case. In the article it also says tbe principal declined to comment.  If the policy had been changed, how hard would it have been to say so to the boy, to the school board etc.? It says the school board is investigating. If it comes out oh yea, the policy had been changed, I will not believe it.


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## GreenEyedJen (Jul 7, 2018)

Reinventing21 said:


> @dicapr  From the info in tbe article, it does not sound like the NC case. In the article it also says tbe principal declined to comment.  If the policy had been changed, how hard would it have been to say so to the boy, to the school board etc.? It says the school board is investigating. If it comes out oh yea, the policy had been changed, I will not believe it.



Right. The school board wouldn’t even have to “investigate” to determine a policy change. They’d already know; they would have sanctioned it!


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## nysister (Jul 8, 2018)

From what I researched Mr. Munno actually started this school with a majority Black student population that think we'll of him. I'd really like to know more about this situation, before I weigh in with a thought regarding this outcome, which on the face of it seems unfair.


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