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School Withholds Teen's Diploma for Cursing

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OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — The father of an Oklahoma valedictorian says the school is withholding his daughter's graduation diploma because she used the word "hell" during her valedictory speech.

David Nootbaar (NOOT'-bahr) said Monday that his daughter Kaitlin inadvertently said she didn't know what the "hell" she wanted to become during her speech at the May graduation ceremony at Prague (prayg) High School.

Nootbaar said his daughter intended to use the word heck.

He says the school on Friday demanded his daughter write a letter of apology before she would receive her diploma.

School Superintendent Rick Martin said in a statement Monday that Kaitlin Nootbaar is an outstanding student who used an inappropriate word during her speech. Martin called the request for an apology "reasonable."

Nootbaar said his daughter will not issue an apology.

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