![]() The microphone stayed on throughout her roughly two-and-a-half minute speech. Smith told The New York Times that she also noticed a woman "aggressively" signaling for her microphone to be cut off from the side of the stage as she was speaking. This undated file photo shows a red graduation cap sitting atop a book on a desk next a diploma. That did not happen."Ī high school valedictorian in Texas says that she was threatened with her diploma being withheld after delivering an unapproved speech opposing the state's new restrictive anti-abortion law at a graduation ceremony on Sunday. "They pulled me aside and told me that Highland was considering withholding my diploma. "I think they were working for the school or helping run the event, I'm not entirely sure how they're affiliated with the school district," said Smith. ![]() ![]() However, Smith said that two people she did not recognize told her that the school was "considering" withholding her diploma for making the off-script speech. "Afterwards, most of the staff members were very supportive and congratulatory," Smith said on Thursday. Despite the unapproved topic change, Smith told CNN on Thursday that staff members were largely supportive of her after she left the stage. While Smith's original speech had been approved by the school's principal in advance, the graduation speech that she delivered had not been expected. Video of the speech had been viewed more than 6 million times as of Thursday evening. However, when Smith reached the stage, she shifted gears and spoke against the state's restrictive new anti-abortion law. The speech had been expected to focus on the effect of the news media on young people. Smith delivered the valedictorian speech at Lake Highland High School in Dallas on Sunday. Paxton Smith, the Texas high school valedictorian whose graduation speech about reproductive rights went viral this week, says that she was pulled aside and threatened with the prospect of her diploma being withheld after delivering the speech.
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