Shutting Up Uppity Asian Student

posted 6/26/08

In Linwood, NJ, graduating senior Jennifer Chau found out that speech is not that free. At her graduation ceremonies at Mainland Regional High School, her principal cut off her microphone while she was giving her salutatorian speech because she didn’t want to limit herself to pablum.

Chau was trying to draw attention to favoritism in how the school administration ranked students or granted permissions. She was ranked second in her class weh she was denied honors credit for an honors course she took freshman year, putting her behind the daughter of a member of the Board of Education. Her request to form an Asian club was also postponed for many years.

Avoiding her pre-approved text, she said, "I know this is a community that values education. That is why you need to know what is really going on behind the walls of Mainland's administrat- " before a school employee flipped the switch. Principal Robert Blake told her that she would have to leave while the crowd chanted, "Let her speak," "Finish" and "Jen Chau."

She wanted to say that the school valued connections and not equal opportunity. She also wanted to say that the administration’s relationship with the community should be improved. "I wanted to get it out," said Jen, "I wanted to speak for all students who don't have the opportunity to speak. ... I guess they just wouldn't listen."

Jen Chau will be attending Georgetown in the fall to study pre-law.

A Facebook group with over 200 students has been started to support her right to speech.

Her full speech can be found here.