The speech of a high school valedictorian was cut short after he started to talk about his experiences as a LGBTQ teenager and his mental health issues. He continued, despite protests from his principal and pressured to keep to a preapproved speech.Bryce Dershem graduated on June 17 from Eastern Regional High School, Voorhees (New Jersey). The 18-year old wore a rainbow flag on his graduation robe, while his cap had the Black Lives Matter fist overlaid on the trans-flag's stripes. He hoped that his valedictorian address would inspire the classmates who had just finished high school in the midst of a terrible pandemic and remote learning.Dershem began the speech by thanking his teachers and parents. He then spoke about his struggle with acceptance and mental health."After I came out [in] freshman year as queer, I felt so alone." Dershem said, "I didn't know where to turn." His microphone was cut off.Dershem stops in a YouTube video of his father's speech. Robert Tull, the school principal, approaches Dershem to take Dershem's notes and replace the microphone. Before he leaves, Tull gestures at the speech that was approved by the administration.Dershem stated to the Philadelphia Inquirer, that Tull had "crumped [the speech] into a ball," and pointed to the approved speech. He said, "You must read this or nothing else."Dershem stated to the Inquirer, "At that point I'm about crying."Dershem believes Tull, school administrators, intentionally cut his microphone to silence him. This was in an attempt to censor him for the approved speech. It did not mention his LGBTQ identity or recovery from anorexia. Tull pressured Dershem repeatedly to revise his speech and made him work with the head of the English department at the school, Dershem said to the Washington Post.In an interview with The Washington Post, he said that they started to say things like "This speech isn't my therapy session,"Dershem stated to the Philadelphia Inquirer, that school administration believed any discussion on LGBTQ issues would "exclude people.""I don’t believe it is exclusionary to state one is queer.Dershem said, "But that wasn’t my message at any time, and I don’t think it is really exclusionary for one to say one is queer."The audience encouraged Dershem not to stop speaking after Tull took his microphone. Dershem, who had memorized his original speech before, went on.He said, "As I was stating... After my queer freshman year, it felt so alone." I didn't know where to go for help, guidance, or a hug. Each day, I smiled outwardly while questioning inwardly how to connect the various facets of my identity.Robert Cloutier, Eastern Camden County Regional Schools District superintendent, denies that the district asked students for permission to remove any mentions of their personal identities in speeches.Cloutier stated in a statement to The Philadelphia Inquirer that every year all student speakers are helped to shape the speech. All student speeches are approved and kept in the binder at the podium for the principal's graduation ceremony.He said that the district is now "focused on the year's reopening plans" and "committed" to the diversity-and-inclusion initiatives established by New Jersey's Department of Education.Cloutier's assertion is disingenuous, but Dershem claims that Cloutier was pressured by the administration to delete references to his being queer or recovering from mental health treatment.In a rhetorical statement to the Philadelphia Inquirer, Dershem inquired if that was true. If true, [Tull] would not have crumpled the speech I had worked on for months...in front me in front of a crowd of 2,000 people.Social commentary is becoming more popular with the increasing use of valedictorian speeches. Paxton Smith, Lake Highlands High School valedictorian, in Dallas, Texas, delivered a passionate speech on the importance and necessity of abortion access following recent restrictions that were signed into law by Governor. Greg Abbot.Smith stated, "I am afraid that if my contraceptives are unsuccessful, I am terrified I will be raped. Then my hopes, aspirations, dreams, and efforts for the future will cease to matter." I hope you feel the pain. I want you to feel how dehumanizing having your autonomy taken from you.Dershem's speech was supported by his teachers, classmates, and even the governor of New Jersey. Phil Murphy tweeted his support for "speaking truth and power"Dershem spoke of a teacher who lost his son to suicide during the pandemic."She hugged and said that her son had died from suicide due to quarantine. My speech had meant so much to her and she really wished that he could have listened to it," Dershem explained to the Washington Post. "I thought, "This is the only person this is that I made feel less lonely in that audience." It was everything to me."
