Oviedo, Fla. – An Oviedo middle school student says that her teacher would not allow her to give a speech on gay rights for a 4H contest, however the school board is standing with the student.
Tristen Bland, an 11-year-old student from Lawton Chiles Middle School, entered the nationwide Tropicana Speech Contest co-sponsored by the school’s 4H club with a prepared speech on gay rights.
When Bland’s teacher saw the speech, she advised Bland that the topic was out of bounds because it could offend other students.
“Somebody’s literally trying to censor my daughter,” said Bland’s mom, Christina Yaghoubi, to WKMGLocal 6.
A spokesperson from the Seminole County school board advised Local 6 that Bland’s speech could go on as planned and that the teacher was probably looking to get permission from the school principal before letting the speech move forward.
According to the contest’s website the speech is intended to help students learn to speak naturally in public and no restrictions are placed on speech topics whether controversial or not.
“Nobody should be afraid to be who they are,” said Bland. She intends to give the speech, as planned, this April.
