New Jersey valedictorian cut off during graduation speech on LGBTQ identity, mental health

A valedictorian from New Jersey had his microphone cut off during his graduation speech on his LGBTQ identity and mental health.

Bryce Dershem was giving a speech for Eastern Regional High School that included mentions of him being queer, his struggles with online school during the pandemic and his fight with suicidal thoughts and anorexia.

“After I came out as queer freshman year, I felt so alone. I didn’t know who to turn to,” Dershem said during his speech right before his microphone was cut off by the administration, The Washington Post reported.

“I don’t know why just a reference to who I was warranted being cut off,” Dershem told the Post. “I was on the verge of tears; I didn’t know what to do.”

Dershem told NBC Philadelphia the school principal walked up to him after the microphone was cut and crumbled up the paper with the speech, telling him to use the edited one Dershem had worked on with the school.

Robert Cloutier, Eastern Camden County Regional School District superintendent, told the local outlet all valedictorians work on their speeches with the school.

“Every year, all student speakers are assisted in shaping the speech, and all student speeches — which are agreed upon and approved in advance — are kept in the binder on the podium for the principal to conduct the graduation ceremony,” Cloutier said.

Dershem said the editing process made him take out the mentions of him being queer and of dealing with suicidal thoughts and treatment for anorexia.

Dershem says he was even told by administrators not to use the speech as “his therapy session.”

“No student was asked to remove their personal identity from any speech before or during graduation,” Cloutier said to NBC News.

However, Dershem had his original speech memorized and continued with it after his microphone was turned back on. 

“I thought, ‘I have worked this hard and I deserve to be able to tell my story and give this message of inclusivity,’ because I didn’t think there was anything wrong with it,” Dershem said.