Valedictorian censored as she mentions sexual assault

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A high school valedictorian in Petaluma, California, said her microphone was abruptly cut off in the midway of her graduation speech when she was about to bring up her experience of sexual assault on campus and how her school failed to handle this issue seriously.

Lulabel Seitz, 17, was delivering a graduation speech at Petaluma High School on June 2 and was going to speak out the sexual assault she had experienced on campus when she was suddenly silenced by the school administration after they pull the plug of her microphone.

Lulabel Seitz in her graduation ceremony. /Photo via CNN

"The class of 2018 has demonstrated time and time again that we may be a new generation, but we are not too young to speak up, to dream and to create change, which is why, even when some people on this campus, those same people……," she said before her microphone was shut down.

After Seitz “lost her voice” during the speech, she continued to speak out using her own voice and was supported by graduates sitting off the stage by shouting out: “Let her speak!”

Seitz is delivering the graduation speech. /Screenshot of Seitz's YouTube channel

Seitz told CNN that she was sexually assaulted on campus by someone she knew. However, the school administrators failed to take her accounts seriously and didn’t take any actions to defend her rights.

She also said that school administrators had been putting pressure on her not to mention the sexual assault in her speech and warned her that it won’t help, according to CNN.

However, the constantly prevention of the school administration didn’t stop her and even made her more determined to speak out.

The Petaluma City School District responded in a statement, saying they can't discuss specific information about incidents due to student privacy issues, reported CNN.

Seitz posted an uncensored version of her speech on YouTube. /Screenshot of Seitz's YouTube channel

After Seitz was silenced by the school during her graduation speech, she posted an uncensored version of her speech on YouTube the day after her graduation ceremony, which had been viewed more than 300,000 times as of Tuesday.

Seitz, who will attend Stanford University in the fall and double-major in applied mathematics and economics, told CNN that her speech was not just about her or her friends, rather, it was for everyone.

"This is about the bigger problem, not only about what I experienced. It was for everyone," she told CNN.

After Seitz’s story was reported by various media, netizens flooded the social media and tweeted to support her attached with the hashtag #LulabelSeitz and #LetHerSpeak.

Netizens tweeted to support Seitz. /Screenshot of Twitter

“When you silence victims, you also squash their empowerment which can be extremely healing. There probably were victims out in that audience who could have had a moment of knowing that they were not alone," @EqualRightsAdvocates tweeted citing from an equal rights advocate Brenda Adams.

“They may have cut the mic off, but in doing so, millions more have now heard the speech and know of her story. #LulabelSeitz #letherspeak #metoo,” tweeted @CalvinWells.