Sarah Mitchell
In 2019, Covington Catholic High School in Kentucky faced scrutiny after clips went viral of students wearing 'Make America Great Again' hats and clashing with Omaha tribe elder Nathan Phillips at the nearby Indigenous Peoples March. This was not the first time the school had been in the news. In May 2018, the Diocese of Covington barred Christian Bales, the openly gay valedictorian of Holy Cross High School, from delivering his graduation speech, claiming that it was not submitted on time and that its content was political and inconsistent with the teaching of the Catholic Church. Bales, however, was unsure whether his sexual orientation played a role in the diocese's decision.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name of Valedictorian | Christian Bales |
| School | Covington Catholic High School, Kentucky |
| Year | 2018 |
| Reason for ban | Speech was "not submitted on time" and was "political and inconsistent with the teaching of the Catholic Church" |
| Outcome | Bales gave the speech after the official ceremony |
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What You'll Learn
Covington Catholic students mock a Native American elder
In January 2019, a group of students from Covington Catholic High School in Kentucky confronted a Native American elder, Nathan Phillips, at the Indigenous Peoples March in Washington, D.C. The incident was captured on video and quickly went viral, sparking widespread outrage and debate. In the video, the Covington Catholic students, many of whom were wearing "Make America Great Again" hats, appeared to mock and taunt Phillips, a Vietnam veteran and a member of the Omaha Nation. The students were also accused of shouting "Build the wall" at Phillips as he sang the American Indian Movement song.
The incident sparked strong reactions, with many people criticising the students' behaviour as disrespectful and inappropriate. The Diocese of Covington issued an apology for the students' behaviour, stating that their actions were "opposed to the Church's teachings on the dignity and respect of the human person." The diocese also stated that the students could face expulsion for their actions.
In the aftermath of the incident, there was also scrutiny of Covington Catholic High School and the Diocese of Covington more broadly. Covington Catholic High School was described by some as a "not-well-disciplined school," and there were criticisms of the diocese's control over school policies. Additionally, the incident brought attention to a previous controversy involving the diocese. In May 2018, the diocese had banned a gay valedictorian, Christian Bales, from delivering his graduation speech at Holy Cross High School, another school within the diocese. Bales, who is now a freshman at the University of Louisville, spoke out about the Washington, D.C. incident and expressed his lack of surprise, stating that it was only a matter of time before the school community's actions sparked controversy.
The confrontation between the Covington Catholic students and Nathan Phillips, as well as the broader issues it raised, highlighted tensions and complexities within the community. The incident and its aftermath sparked important discussions about respect, discipline, and accountability within the school and the broader community.
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Diocese of Covington bans gay valedictorian's speech
The Diocese of Covington, Kentucky, banned gay valedictorian Christian Bales from delivering a speech at his graduation ceremony in May 2018. Bales, who attended Holy Cross High School, was told by the Diocese that his speech was not submitted on time and that its content was political and inconsistent with the teaching of the Catholic Church".
In response, Bales said that he was unsure whether his sexual orientation played a role in the Diocese's decision, stating that he had been taught that the Catholic faith is about "love and tolerance and acceptance of all people". He also claimed that he was not surprised at all by the Diocese's decision, describing Covington Catholic High School as "notorious for being a not-well-disciplined school" and the Diocese as "archaic".
The incident gained national attention and sparked controversy, with Bales and the student council president deciding to deliver their speeches anyway, speaking to a crowd of students and families on the school's lawn after the official ceremony. The Diocese of Covington has faced scrutiny and criticism for its decision, with Bales calling for the school community to be held accountable for their actions.
This was not the first time Covington Catholic High School has been at the centre of a controversy. In January 2019, a video went viral showing students from the school wearing )"Make America Great Again" hats and confronting a Native American protester, Nathan Phillips, at the Indigenous Peoples March in Washington, D.C. The incident sparked widespread outrage and brought the school and the Diocese of Covington under intense media scrutiny once again.
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Christian Bales speaks out against his school
In January 2019, Covington Catholic High School in Kentucky came under scrutiny after a video went viral showing students wearing "Make America Great Again" hats and confronting a Native American protester, Nathan Phillips, at the Indigenous Peoples March in Washington, D.C. This incident brought attention to another controversy involving the school and its oversight by the Diocese of Covington.
In May 2018, the Diocese of Covington barred Christian Bales, the openly gay valedictorian of Holy Cross High School, from delivering his graduation speech. Bales, along with the student council president, was informed just hours before the ceremony that their speeches were not submitted on time and contained themes "inappropriate" and "political [in nature] and inconsistent with the teaching of the Catholic Church."
Christian Bales, who is now a freshman at the University of Louisville, has spoken out against his school and the Diocese of Covington. He expressed his lack of surprise at the incident in Washington, D.C., stating that it was only a matter of time before something like this occurred due to Covington Catholic High School's reputation for being "not well-disciplined." He described the Diocese of Covington as "archaic" and emphasized their control over school policies and student affairs. Bales also highlighted the lack of explanation provided by the diocese for censoring his speech, leaving him unsure if his sexual orientation played a role in their decision.
Bales and the student council president chose to deliver their speeches anyway after the official ceremony, using a megaphone to address a crowd of students and families on the school lawn. Their speeches gained attention, with Bales' speech being posted on social media and quickly going viral. In his speech, Bales shared his understanding of the Catholic faith as being about "love and tolerance and acceptance of all people," questioning the diocese's decision to silence him.
The Diocese of Covington issued an apology for the students' behavior in the Washington, D.C. incident and acknowledged that their actions contradicted the Church's teachings on respect and dignity. However, their censorship of Bales and the student council president's speeches remains a point of contention, with Bales calling for accountability and transparency from the school and the diocese.
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Bales gives his speech anyway
In May 2018, the Diocese of Covington barred openly gay valedictorian Christian Bales from delivering his graduation speech at Holy Cross High School, a school within the Covington Catholic High School district. Bales was informed on the morning of the ceremony that his speech was not submitted on time and that its content was "political and inconsistent with the teaching of the Catholic Church".
Bales and the student council president, who was also barred from speaking, decided to give their speeches anyway. After the official ceremony, the pair grabbed a megaphone and addressed a crowd of students and families on the school's lawn. Bales' speech, which was posted to social media, quickly went viral.
In the speech, Bales expressed his uncertainty about whether his sexual orientation played a role in the Diocese of Covington's decision to censor him. He stated:
> "I honestly have no idea, because what I’ve been taught about the Catholic faith is that it’s about love and tolerance and acceptance of all people."
Bales also reflected on the incident in an interview with NBC News, where he described the Diocese of Covington as "archaic" and Covington Catholic High School as "notorious for being a not-well-disciplined school". He added that he was "not surprised at all" by the behaviour of the students in the viral video, asserting that "it was only a matter of time that something this school community did would blow up to this degree".
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Covington Catholic students face expulsion
Several students from Covington Catholic High School in Kentucky were involved in an incident in Washington, D.C., where they were seen mocking a Native American elder, Nathan Phillips, during the Indigenous Peoples March. The students, who were wearing "Make America Great Again" hats, shouted "Build the wall" at Phillips, a Vietnam veteran, while he sang the American Indian Movement song.
The incident sparked widespread outrage and brought the school under intense scrutiny. It also led to calls for corrective action, including the possible expulsion of the students involved. The Diocese of Covington, which oversees the school, issued an apology for the boys' behaviour, stating that it was "opposed to the Church's teachings on the dignity and respect of the human person."
Covington Catholic High School and the Diocese of Covington have previously faced controversy. In May 2018, the Diocese banned a gay valedictorian, Christian Bales, from delivering his graduation speech at Holy Cross High School, another school within the diocese. Bales, who is now a freshman at the University of Louisville, claimed that his sexual orientation may have played a role in the diocese's decision to censor him. He expressed his lack of surprise at the Washington incident, stating that it was only a matter of time before the school community's actions blew up.
The fallout from the incident has had a significant impact, with the school closing temporarily due to safety concerns and threats. An independent third-party investigation was planned to determine the appropriate corrective actions. While the students involved in the incident could face expulsion, no specific updates on their disciplinary status have been provided. The investigation aimed to gather facts and make informed decisions on any corrective actions, including expulsion, to hold those responsible accountable for their actions.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, Covington Catholic High School in Kentucky had a gay valedictorian named Christian Bales.
No, the Diocese of Covington banned Bales from giving his valedictorian speech, citing that it was not submitted on time and contained themes that were "political and inconsistent with the teaching of the Catholic Church".
Yes, Bales and the student council president decided to give their speeches anyway. After the official ceremony, they grabbed a megaphone and spoke to a crowd of students and families on the school's lawn.
