Valedictorian Uses Graduation To Attack ICE And Israel. It Doesn’t End Well.

Clayton High School administration in North Carolina intervened as the school’s valedictorian went off-script during the graduation ceremony’s welcome speech on May 28.

High schooler Leen Hijaz, a Muslim student from Johnston County, North Carolina, abandoned her pre-approved speech and instead ranted about ICE and voiced her support for Palestine. 

“Before I leave the stage, I have one last thing to say. Every single person here has a voice, and we are privileged to have the freedom to use it when so many people around the world are struggling and suffering to be heard,” Hijaz said. 

“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 distant issues,” Hijaz said. “They are happening right now as I speak.”

A video of the graduation ceremony spread on social media.

“My point is, we’re not given a voice to stay silent,” Hijaz said to cheers from some people in the crowd. The video also shows other graduates behind her look at each other in confusion as they realized Hijaz was going off-script. The school’s principal, Melissa Hubbard, then rushed onto the stage and stopped her from continuing her impromptu political speech. 

A day after the graduation, Hijaz took to TikTok complaining about her diploma being withheld and her experience as a Muslim-Arab in Johnston County, North Carolina. 

“If I submitted [the speech] to the school they would have disapproved it immediately because of how racist they are,” Hijaz said. “I really think if you think I did something wrong then there’s something wrong with you.” 

Johnston County Public Schools confirmed that Hijaz has been awarded her diploma. 

“School administrators intervened in order to maintain the integrity and focus of the program in real time,” school leadership said in a statement to USA TODAY. “This action was not about limiting a student’s voice, but about ensuring that a school-sponsored event remained consistent with its intended purpose.”