Holy Cross valedictorian barred from speaking at graduation

CRESTVIEW HILLS, Ky. (WKRC) - The valedictorian of Holy Cross High School wasn't allowed to give his speech at graduation on Friday night.

He was told it was too political.

However, his mother believes there was another reason.

Christian Bales ended up giving his speech outside Holy Cross' graduation after the ceremony.

He found out Friday morning, the day of graduation, that the Diocese of Covington cut his speech from the ceremony.

"The diocese took ours and said they were too confrontational, too angry, too personal, and that they weren't appropriate for the setting."

Bales' friend's speech was also cut.

Bales repeated the phrase "the young people will win" in the speech.

It was coined by students who survived the Parkland High School shooting in Florida.

"I know they pointed out that the Parkland teens teach ideologies that apparently go against the Catholic faith, which I don't agree with in my experience," Bales said.

In a statement, a diocese spokesperson said:

"School officials and representatives of the Diocese of Covington reserve the right to review and approve all student speeches to be presented in public at high school graduations. The student speeches for the Holy Cross High School graduation were not submitted for review before the deadline. They were found to contain elements that were political and inconsistent with the teachings of the Catholic church."

But Bales' mother isn't buying it.

Gillian Marksberry said she received a call from the school's principal last week.

She said he wanted her help to ensure Bales wore men's clothing to graduation and not makeup or bobby pins in his hair.

"That was disturbing because in four years I had never received a phone call from the principal," Marksberry said. "No one ever reached out to me to help learn about my child."

Bales is openly gay.

And to date, he said the school has been supportive.

He said this incident won't silence him.

"I think I'm going to keep fighting for what I believe in," Bales said. "I'm going to keep using my megaphone and intensifying my voice."

Bales has a 9-year-old sister.

His mother planned to send his sister to Holy Cross, but she said after Friday night that's not happening.