This month many parents across America will celebrate an important milestone in their child’s life, and will watch with pride as they proceed to the stage with strains of Pomp and Circumstance to receive their long-awaited diploma. Graduation is a special time to pay tribute and to celebrate the culmination of years of commitment and sacrifice. It is one of society’s most cherished, time-honored traditions.
Few graduating seniors this month will likely appreciate the rich history behind the traditions and trappings they will share during this event. The symbolism behind “caps and gowns” is unfortunately lost on students who are focused and waiting to hear their name called, file past the crowd of onlookers and turn this page in their lives.
Graduation gowns date back to cleric’s garments worn by medieval scholars as far back as the 12th century. The mortarboard cap similarly originated in medieval times as a symbol of academic achievement and unity.
“Pomp and Circumstance” was originally used in King Edward VII’s coronation in 1902. Four years later, it was played at the graduation procession for the first time at Yale and quickly spread to other universities.
The tradition of selecting a valedictorian dates back to 1772 with the College of William and Mary. A gold medal prize was awarded to the student most skilled in Latin written composition or oratory. The word “valediction” is an Old English translation of the Latin phrase “Vale Dicere” which means to bid farewell. The practice spread to high schools in the 1920s, as a means of recognizing the student with the top GPA and a means of honoring their commitment to academic achievement.
The practice of choosing a valedictorian remains today as a formal recognition that the speaker has earned the right to present their student peers with a challenge as they face the uncertainty of the future.
The question often arises, however, whether the “message” chosen by the valedictorian should be free of censorship and one that is conscientiously selected by the speaker themselves. Should school officials be allowed to place guard rails on the valedictorian’s choice of topics? Speech can be often controversial, and even divisive. In today’s cultural climate, some question whether students should be allowed free reins to speak their minds at a graduation or must stick to a supervised script.
Angela Guidry graduated at the top of her class at Sam Houston High School in Calcasieu Parrish, Louisiana. As a devout Christian, Angela had a reputation among her peers as one who integrated her faith into her academic studies. She was not only sharp intellectually, but she unabashedly shared her commitment to Christ, rising to the top of her class. Her courage and dedication earned the respect of her peers as well as several faculty and leaders at her school.
Not surprisingly, during her senior year, Angela’s top GPA rating earned her the position of valedictorian. It likewise came as no surprise that when Angela was asked to turn in a draft of her valediction speech, she gave full credit for her academic achievement to Christ. She saw her valediction as an opportunity to share her Christian testimony, and to encourage her fellow students to place their future in God’s hands.
The Principal of Sam Houston believed Angela’s valediction went too far. She edited Angela’s speech, taking out every reverence to Jesus Christ seeing it as a violation of the doctrine of separation of church and state. We filed suit on Angela’s behalf in federal court in the Western District of Louisiana. The case made national attention, and before long Angela’s story was making news across the country as an overreach of school censorship. Her case garnered political support and even sparked favorable attention by the President of the United States who mentioned her by name in a speech on the state of education in America.
This month, as parents give special recognition to this rite of passage for their sons and daughters, academic achievement is but one of the values which should be celebrated. Equally important is the recognition that our children are the messages we send to a time we will not see. They should be encouraged to go forth with boldness and proclaim the truth.
Larry L. Crain, www.crainlaw.legal
