Fifth-grader Kameron Slade is slated to give a pro-marriage equality speech on Monday during a special assembly at P.S. 195 in Queens, N.Y., the Huffington Post reports.
It’s a compromise reached after school officials barred Slade from giving the award-winning remarks at a school wide assembly. However, he already delivered his entire speech on local television station, NY1, on Thursday.
“This extra day will give [principal Beryl Bailey] the ability to reach out to those parents to make them aware of the content of the speech because we’re talking about an elementary school,” schools chancellor Derek Walcott said. “[Bailey] wants to be responsible in making sure that people have a clear understanding of what the speech is about.”
Slade drew from his own experience with a lesbian couple, who are friends with his mother.
“Like President Obama, I believe that all people should have the right to marry whoever they want,” Slade said.
“In conclusion, I hope that everyone understands how important it is to respect everyone for who they are,” he says. “I believe that same-sex marriage should be accepted worldwide, and that parents and teachers should start to discuss these issues without shame to their children.”
Slade won a speech competition. However, Bailey deemed same-sex marriage was an inappropriate topic for the entire school. Bailey also told Slade he’d have to choose another topic, in order to remain in the competition. Instead, the fifth-grader performed an animal rights speech.
Watch the NY1 video here:
Photo: thinkprogress.org
