Florida High School Graduate Speaks in Code to Address Gay Rights at Commencement: ‘Kids with Curly Hair Who Need a Community’
A gay Florida high school graduate spoke in code to address gay rights due to reportedly being told by his principal that his Sunday commencement speech would be cut short if he mentioned his involvement in a lawsuit against the Sunshine State’s Parental Rights in Education law in his commencement speech.
Critics dubbed the controversial bill “Don’t Say Gay” although the final version of the law used vague language to limit the teaching of “sexual orientation or gender identity” in Florida schools.
On May 9, Pine View School senior Zander Moricz tweeted a thread about being told not to mention his activism against that law in which he’s the youngest plaintiff in the lawsuit. He also said that he led a walkout from his school in protest of the then-bill despite administrators ripping down posters and ordering him to cancel the protest.
“I am the youngest public plaintiff in the ‘Don’t Say Gay’ lawsuit. I am my Florida high school’s first openly-gay Class President. I am being silenced, and I need your help,” he tweeted.
“A few days ago, my principal called me into his office and informed me that if my graduation speech referenced my activism or role as a plaintiff in the lawsuit, school administration had a signal to cut off my microphone, end my speech, and halt the ceremony,” he continued.
A few days ago, my principal called me into his office and informed me that if my graduation speech referenced my activism or role as a plaintiff in the lawsuit, school administration had a signal to cut off my microphone, end my speech, and halt the ceremony. (2/8)
— zander moricz (@zandermoricz) May 9, 2022
In his speech, Moricz said, “There are going to be so many kids with curly hair who need a community like Pine View and they won’t have one. Instead, they’ll try to fix themselves so that they can exist in Florida’s humid climate.”
Watch above.
