Leen Hijaz, a Muslim student of Palestinian origin at Clayton High School in Missouri, stated that her principal refused to give her a diploma after she delivered a controversial graduation speech, which was also interrupted by the principal. During the graduation ceremony on Thursday, May 28, Hijaz gave the welcome address. As she approached her closing remarks, she began discussing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Palestine.
"Before I leave the stage, I have one last thing to say. Every single person here has a voice; we have the privilege to use it when millions around the world are struggling and suffering to be heard. Whether it's the millions suffering in Palestine, Sudan, Congo, Afghanistan and so many other countries around the world, or the families being torn apart by ICE. These are not just an issue there; they are happening there, they're happening right here as I speak. My point is, we're not given a voice to stay silent," she said.
The incident was captured on camera as the event was livestreamed, showing a woman, identified as the principal, appearing to stop Hijaz. After the video went viral, Hijaz acknowledged that the end of her speech was spontaneous and not pre-approved.
"I was extremely scared to say something and really wasn't planning on doing it, but I had so much support from my friends and family around me, and they encouraged me to say something," Hijaz said. "I didn't get to say everything I wanted to say, but I said enough."
According to a report by WRAL, Johnston County Public Schools stated that students were required to submit their remarks well in advance of the graduation, and that a student deviated from what was preapproved by administrators. "School administrators intervened in order to maintain the integrity and focus of the program in real time. This action was not about limiting a student's voice, but about ensuring that a school-sponsored event remained consistent with its intended purpose," the district said.
Johnston County Public Schools did not specifically confirm that Hijaz's diploma was withheld as a result of the speech.
