Valedictorian's Graduation Speech Banned

Days after Charlotte-Mecklenburg School (CMS) district finished all high school graduations, controversy has emerged.  The valedictorian at Vance High School says he was denied giving his speech.

"I feel like it was blown out of the water." Valedictorian Jeremy Dennis said.

"I thought I was going to be physically ill," the honors student's mother Tami Dennis said.

As is customary, class valedictorian gives words of encouragement at the graduation, but Jeremy Dennis claims the principal told him no.  He says the principal thought parts of his speech were inappropriate.

"From what I understood," Dennis said.  "She wanted me to take out Love, Peace and Hair Grease,  supposedly it had a racial slur."

And the top student said the principal, Valarie Williams, said she didn't want Dennis to mention the former principal who left the school on bad terms.  He often told students "Love, Peace and Hair Grease."

"I just said thank you to him," the valedictorian said.  "I didn't even say his name. I even took that out." Read more...