Her graduation speech called for equality. Administrators said it was too controversial.

Megan Stringer | Wausau Daily Herald

TOMAHAWK - Tomahawk High School administrators told a straight-A student she would need to remove references to discrimination and school shootings in order to deliver her commencement address.

She decided not to give the speech instead.

Cait Christenson, 18, was one of six valedictorians who graduated from Tomahawk High School this year. She had her address ready to go for commencement — until school administrators told her she couldn’t present the speech as written.

Administrators reviewed a written version of her speech, Christenson said, and then told her she could not talk specifically about topics such as discrimination, gender inequality and school shootings. They prevented the discussion of those topics out of fear that they would provoke disagreement and judgment, and that others might feel attacked, according to Christenson.

In other words, it might be too controversial for a high school commencement ceremony.

Christenson wrote about topics such as gender inequality and school safety in hopes of using her platform to spark critical thinking on contemporary issues, she said.

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The speech largely steered clear of hot-button issues, and did not take a stance other than urge people to set aside their differences and respect opinions different from their own. She did not mention the names of any public officials, nor did she advocate for gun restrictions or any other specific policy changes.

"Instead of encouraging negative stereotypes and passing slurs throughout our society; instead of punishing the victims; instead of telling others how they should live and express themselves — put yourself in their shoes before passing judgment, incriminating and disrespecting others," Christenson wrote in her speech. "It’s the golden rule we’ve been hearing since kindergarten."

Administrators encouraged Christenson to rewrite her speech without referring explicitly to the topics she wanted to address. If she did, they told her, she could still speak at graduation.

Christenson decided it wasn't worth it.

“I felt like if I were to rewrite my speech, the message would be washed out,” she said Thursday in an email. “If I could not talk about those three things specifically, change against social injustice would be less likely in the future."

"The reasons I was not allowed to speak opposed exactly what I was trying to get across in my speech: being able to open a conversation civilly, and critically think about and accept other's opinions and values,” Christenson said.

Despite her decision to withdraw from speaking, Christenson said administrators approached her with respect about their concerns, and she characterized the matter as simply a disagreement.

Both administrators who spoke to her about the speech had been her teachers in the past, Christenson said, and helped her to learn and develop her values. She said the Tomahawk School District "has given me nothing short of a great education in my 13 years of attendance."

Tomahawk High School Principal Ryan Huseby acknowledged in a statement to USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin that some staff members did ask Christenson to edit her speech, but emphasized that it was the student's choice not to present her speech at the ceremony.

"In the Tomahawk School District, we support our students’ right to express their opinions in positive and productive ways," Huseby said in the statement. "As our graduates embark on the next stage in their lives, we encourage them to continue thinking critically and exercising their freedom of speech."

The commencement ceremony was Sunday. In its Tuesday print edition, the Tomahawk Leader weekly newspaper published Christenson’s speech in full. In Facebook comments on photos of the speech posted by community member Hannah Turgeon, people were upset that Christenson wasn’t allowed to give the speech as written at the ceremony.

"I would have loved to hear that speech when I graduated high school," Turgeon said. "And because I felt that way, I could only imagine how the rest of the community would feel."

“The support I have received since my speech was first published in the Tomahawk Leader was very unexpected. I have received so much positive feedback from the community, and I am extremely humbled,” Christenson said. “I feel more encouraged to share my passions and values with others now, because it's getting others to consider taboos that are often overlooked.”

In the fall, Christenson will attend the University of Wisconsin-Madison to study community and nonprofit leadership.

Read Cait Christenson's graduation speech

You can read the graduation speech in full below.

Good Afternoon. Thank you all for attending our Class of 2018’s graduation commencement, and the continued educational support throughout the past 13 years of our lives. I think it’s appropriate to reflect on some of things I have learned, but also, open a conversation about issues that are bigger than ourselves as individuals.

Early in our elementary education, we began discussing the history of slavery and discrimination in our country. As a 7 year old, I was very saddened to know that kids, people like me, were being treated so poorly. The reconstruction amendments were only the beginning of a revolution towards equal rights. Tremendous progress was made during the civil rights movement, yet today, prejudice and discrimination still exist against minority races in America.

Over America’s nearly 250 year existence, women’s rights have progressed from non-voting, housewife members of society to influential voting, workplace powerhouses. That all began with the women’s suffrage movement and 19th Amendment. I am so proud to be among six female valedictorians, the most THS has had in decades, and they’re all strong female leaders. As a young woman, I feel extremely empowered by this progress, yet today, women can’t seem to break through the glass ceiling that promotes wage gaps and the male bureaucracy. When women are harassed, feel violated and aren’t encouraged to stick up for themselves — the blame falls on them, which takes away the most basic right of having a voice, making them feel foreign in their own bodies.

Over the past 9 months, we have seen heartbreaking stories in the news of school shootings that have left innocent students and teachers with their life in someone else’s hands. This issue has gained national attention over the past few months, yet today, as a nation, we are reluctant to confront mental illness and bullying, which has resulted in more deaths than deaths in combat zones in 2018 so far. Students are fearful for their right of an education safely; sadly denied from the power of knowledge.

There are many problems today in society that some people are too afraid to address in fear of sparking controversy and in fear of encouraging acceptance of other’s ideas. We all may be individuals headed on separate paths after turning our tassels this afternoon, but together, as the Class of 2018 nationwide, we can make up entire movements, advocating for change. The Civil Rights Movement to Black Lives Matter, Women’s Suffrage to #metoo, the Columbine Effect to NeverAgain. There are hundreds of problems in the world that we can complain, worry, and be scared over, although there are endless solutions that we as an innovative, driven team, can accomplish to make the world a happier place. As a divided nation, we can put aside our differences and all come together to uplift and accept and respect each other’s opinions.

Instead of avoiding the problem; instead of remaining ignorant; instead of encouraging negative stereotypes and passing slurs throughout our society; instead of punishing the victims; instead of telling others how they should live and express themselves — put yourself in their shoes before passing judgement, incriminating, and disrespecting others. It’s the golden rule we’ve been hearing since kindergarten.

We all have the power to treat everyone with kindness and stand up for the people who need it the most.

Don’t be fearful of expressing what you believe in, and don’t be in fear of talking about social taboos we’re too afraid to admit too. We can make changes in our nation and even around the world, just by promoting positivity, acceptance and equity.

Thank you.