Can not say hell and get diploma at the home of the Red Devils

An Oklahoma valedictorian is having a devil of a time receiving her high school diploma because of an ad-libbed “hell” in her graduation speech, KFOR-TV reports.

Kaitlin Nootbaar, soon to be a college freshman on a full scholarship, was a straight-A, 4.0 student during her fours years at Prague High School in central Oklahoma, “Home of the Red Devils.”

Nootbaar’s father, David, explained to KFOR what happened during graduation back in May:


When she first started school she wanted to be a nurse, then a veterinarian, and now that she was getting closer to graduation, people would ask her, “What do you want to do?” and she said, “How the hell do I know? I’ve changed my mind so many times.”

In the draft she submitted to school officials beforehand, she wrote “heck,” her father said. “Hell” notwithstanding, the audience laughed and applauded when she finished.

Last week, when she went to pick up her diploma, the principal told her she would have to write a letter of apology before he would give her the certificate. She refused, saying she did nothing wrong.

“She has worked so hard to stay at the top of her class and this is not right,” David Nootbaar said.

The superintendent would not comment to KFOR, calling the matter “confidential.”

Friends and supporters have set up a Facebook page to pressure school official to hand over her diploma.

This afternoon, Kaitlin sent the station this note:


First off, I would like to thank everyone who is backing me on this, especially my friends and family. And to those who don’t agree with me, that is fine also. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion and is free to comment however they choose. It’s one of the great advantages of living in a free country. A country where we are free to speak. I would also like to note that I do not hate Prague. I have loved that town since I was a child. I don’t hate the school either, the teachers have always been great! I don’t feel that the whole town should suffer from the mistakes of few. Again, thanks:)

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