"Look who's leaving, all the black people"

[packman]

Full video of a graduation where the principal - owner and founder of TNT Academy, Georgia - forgot to acknowledge the valedictorian and people started to leave. Things go downhill from there.

[ibegurpard]

1. unbelievable

kudos to everyone who walked out.

[MADem]

2. Why are people such assholes?

Graduation is supposed to be a highlight of a young adult's life. I can't believe that shithead ruined it for them.

It will be unforgettable, but for the wrong reasons. And that woman will go down in INFAMY.

Here is an article with a bit more context: http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/tnt-academy-founder-apologizes-after-all-black-people-remark-graduation-n356601

There's video from a better angle at the link, too.


Georgia School Founder Apologizes After 'All the Black People' Remark at Graduation
The founder of an alternative school in Georgia issued an apology Saturday after videos circulated on social media showed her making a racially-charged remark during the school's graduation ceremony.

The audience at TNT Academy's commencement ceremony on Friday became increasingly stunned as the school's founder, Nancy Gordeuk, chastised some people for leaving the event early, the video shows. Most of the audience got out of their seats after Gordeuk said: "Look who's leaving — all the black people."

It is unclear who shot the multiple versions of the video that have been shared on Twitter and Facebook. Many on the social media sites have called for Gordeuk to lose her job.

Gordeuk told NBC News that she inadvertently skipped the Valedictorian's speech, and the crowd became disruptive when he was given the chance to deliver his remarks. "When I looked up all I saw was black families leaving, and thus the comment," she said....

TNT Academy, eh? Looks like the founder blew that joint UP. Idiot!

[hfojvt]

5. what about the people who initially left?

Aren't THEY a$$holes too? The ones who sorta precipitated the whole thing?

Graduation a highlight? Meh.

Are you kidding me? I'd have just as soon skipped the whole ceremony.

Now giving a speech as valedictorian? THAT sort of is a highlight, supposed to be an honor for this kid who worked hard enough to be at the top of the class. Some people kinda ruined it for that person - by walking out on his/her speech.

Being a former valedictorian myself, I, like the principal, am kinda pissed at the people who walked out.

[JHB]

9. She skipped over the speeches, got to the end of the ceremonies....

...and then, as people were thinking it was over, got clued in that she'd skipped the speech. A few people left, or tried to, and she proceeded to hold things up further so that she could go into a scolding session. And then she stopped tiptoeing around the deep end, and dived right in.

[MADem]

11. See post 10. All is revealed. nt

[MADem]

10. WHAT? Are you even serious?

I just gotta save that post of yours. You're really letting your flag fly with those remarks.

what about the people who initially left?
View profile
Aren't THEY a$$holes too? The ones who sorta precipitated the whole thing?

Graduation a highlight? Meh.

Are you kidding me? I'd have just as soon skipped the whole ceremony.

Now giving a speech as valedictorian? THAT sort of is a highlight, supposed to be an honor for this kid who worked hard enough to be at the top of the class. Some people kinda ruined it for that person - by walking out on his/her speech.

Being a former valedictorian myself, I, like the principal, am kinda pissed at the people who walked out

.

Apparently, you don't understand the sequence of events. Here, let's try AGAIN:

Friday, the founder of TNT Academy in Lilburn Georgia shocked students and parents alike when she made racist comments towards her black graduates.

In the past students have alleged that the school, and it’s founder Nancy Gordeuk hold disparaging views towards people of color, and at yesterday’s graduation ceremony they unexpectedly received validation.

The confusion initially started when Gordeuk accidentally ended the ceremony without allowing the valedictorian to make their speech. When she became aware of her mistake, she asked all the graduating seniors to come back inside the hall for the final speech.

By this point people were already headed to their cars, and it became difficult to corral everyone back into the auditorium.

That’s when a frustrated Gordeuk took to the mic and announced:

You people are being so rude, to not listen to this speech. It was my fault that we missed it in the program. Look who’s leaving… all the black people!

At that point the crowd erupted in anger and everyone started to leave.

http://thegrio.com/2015/05/09/georgia-school-founder-shocks-school-racist-remarks-graduation-ceremony/

Are you seriously saying you're on the "Look who's leaving, all the black people" train, too? You might want to re-calibrate.

S. M. H.

[hfojvt]

17. my flag fly?

uh, okay.

Because all I saw was the video (which like I said, was not complete) and a snip of a story.

It still looks to me like the valedictorian had a moment - to give a speech, and that some people chose not to honor that. That's what set the principal off in the first place, along with her mistake.

As for coming back inside, well, from the video it looked like a bunch of people WERE already inside.

Of course, I have not extensively researched this story to get all the details. I am just imagining - the valedictorian starts their speech, gets like a minute into it, when some dude, who probably graduated 97th out of a 100, gets up from the student section and walks out, and meanwhile other people are leaving too.

That's probably just part of my flag though.

[MADem]

22. The shit hits the fan over a story about a school principal berating "all the black people" and your

FIRST instinct is to make excuses for her, rather than do any research on the story.

Rather than leap to the defense of this racist educator as your first instinct regarding a story you admit you didn't know much about, you could have taken just a brief, teensy-tiny moment, used the Google and typed in TNT Academy, Georgia and all would have been revealed to you. But hey, that was too much trouble...? Writing a multi-paragraph defense without all the facts, though, that wasn't too much trouble?

Uh, okay....indeed.

[jwirr]

23. Did the principal in you school forget to let you give your speech until people started to protest?

[CreekDog]

27. Insensitive much?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=2236686

[Judi Lynn]

53. Unbelievable! Thanks. n/t

[marym625]

3. K&R!

[hfojvt]

4. not much of a full video

I don't understand what is supposed to be going on.

The valedictorian is giving a speech and people are leaving before that person is done? Is the rest of the graduation over? And they stuck a speech on at the end?

I think it is too bad if the valedictorian loses their moment. I mean, they won this honor, they wrote this speech, and now a bunch of people are leaving? But at the same time, if diplomas are already passed out, some people are not gonna stay for another speech.

I remember my graduation. We had FOUR speakers. These four brothers who were all doctors. Pretty amazing for that family, but at the same time, four speeches was too damned many and it was hot in those robes. Graduation just went on and on and on.

Also, as valedictorian (maybe) I am glad that I didn't have (or wasn't asked) to give a speech. I'd be embarrassed by the juvenile things I probably would have said. I mean, I was pretty sharp, had a perfect GPA, but looking back, I think that kid was pretty clueless.

[Cal Carpenter]

7. No, the principal basically closed the ceremony

before realizing the program was not finished.

SHE screwed it up and made the audience think it was over before the valedictorian spoke.

Most people didn't get up to leave until she backtracked, called people rude, goobers, demanded everyone sit down and the doors be shut so no one could leave, and then said it was the black people leaving. That was when everyone stood up to gtfo.

[hfojvt]

12. meaning the diplomas were already handed out

Somebody should have dropped a clue bomb way, way before that happened.

I mean, here I am, valedictorian, and I am looking at the program - and my speech isn't on it. Well, I need to say something to somebody before diplomas even get handed out.

But yes, she did screw it up, and nobody corrected her until the end. Still, a number of people must have been leaving even after they were told "wait, I am sorry, the valedictorian was supposed to give a speech". Was that person giving a speech and people were walking out?

Isn't that kinda hurtful? Don't you feel bad for the speaker?

I know I do, and I would feel even worse if I was the one who had screwed it up for them. And feeling bad would make me mad at the people who were walking out.

Now imagine the situation was reversed. Suppose the principal was black and the valedictorian was black, and the same mistakes were made - and a bunch of white people got up and started leaving during the speech.

That principal might very well say something bad, that would sound bad about all white people, like "look who's leaving, the white racists".

I'd still be more upset at my fellow white people who started the whole thing by walking out on the speech of a graduating kid.

[JHB]

19. Yes, it would be hurtful to have the ceremony marred by an handful of assholes...

...but far less so than having it absolutely destroyed by one colossal one.

[Cal Carpenter]

20. I do feel bad for the kid, of course

Of course I do. The principal fucked up, and then made it worse. No one would want to take the stage after that. What should have been a bright, proud memory for this kid, and really all the graduates, was sullied by a racist asshole.

Such a shame.

Frankly, without a longer video and a wider view, I can't make any conclusions about who left when, so I probably misspoke in my earlier post about people having already left by the time the video started. But I doubt this was about race, at all, until the principal said it was black people leaving. I have no sympathy for her. She fucked up, and then fucked up worse. I hope she does feel bad, but I'm guessing if she does it is due to embarrassment, not empathy.

[hfojvt]

25. I don't have memories like that of my graduation

I just remember being hot and those four stupid doctors went on and on and I wanted to scream.

Then there was college graduation - again a bad memory. I didn't even want to go to it, but mom and dad wanted to, and they paid for it, so I figured I owed them. That was like two and a half hours of sheer boredom - name, after name, after name, after name.

Everybody felt that way too. 750 or so names. Boooooring. When they got to the last one - the crowd gave a standing ovation.

I guess mom and dad like them though. They just went to my niece's college graduation. She was valedictorian of college!!! Didn't give a speech this time though (she was also valedictorian of high school). Her other grandfather though said "as soon as they read her name, I am going outside for a smoke" (I don't know if he actually did though, and she was the first one to get the diploma (I watched part of it live streaming at her sister's house (didn't have to listen to the speech (heard parts of it and found it kinda nauseating, dude was going on and on about his own accomplishments))).

I think this graduation is gonna bring some joy. Imagine the brother going to his niece's graduation in the future. He gets to tell the story "I know you guys remember MY graduation. Remember that? The principal just LOST it. What a jerk." and then maybe they get to tell some other stories about that principal and their school days. And everybody who was there shares a laugh at the expense of that principal.

[Cal Carpenter]

28. That's your takeaway? That someday, this will be a funny story to tell?

Holy shit, man.

[hfojvt]

32. that's your takeaway from my post?

I shared some memories of my own graduations, and told a story of my niece's.

What's your memory of graduation?

We were talking about graduation memories, and yes, I do think this will be a funny memory for those who experienced it. You think it won't? It's better than remembering four doctors droning on and on. Boy, what a treasured memory that is for me and my parents and siblings.

[Cal Carpenter]

33. LOL

No, we weren't talking about graduation memories. I was talking about your attempts to explain away this principal's racism. You tried to detour the conversation into unrelated anecdotes about 'graduation memories' to avoid dealing with the fact that you are defending a racist.

I have nothing else to say to you about this.

[Cal Carpenter]

34. I changed my mind. I have one more thing to say to you

It is abhorrent that you think this will simply be a funny memory to those black kids. It is appalling that you don't recognize or realize the impact of racism - both institutional and cultural - on people of color. It is mind-numbingly disgusting that you think this is about 'creating a memory' when it is really about perpetuating an inequality - perpetuating a system in which a racist white person is in charge of the education of kids of color. A racist white person in a position of power over teens at a time in their life during which their self-esteem should be developing and their futures are being determined.

This is really sick, sick shit you are spewing on this thread, and it appears it is a pattern.

So rather than writing you off as a confused clueless person, or possibly as a troll wasting my time, I am going to take this moment to write this post and call you out as the bigot that you are. A sick, disgusting, abhorrent, appalling racist bigot.

NOW I have nothing more to say to you.

[ismnotwasm]

36. And very well said indeed

[Starry Messenger]

41. ++++

x1000

[MADem]

44. Sweet holy mother of pearl....

Thank you for that post. THANK. YOU!!

I was beginning to think I was alone!

[CreekDog]

48. you ran away from this post and this thread like it was chasing you

when it comes to race, you dig the same hole for yourself again and again.

you defend the indefensible and on a liberal board that thinks racism against minorities is a problem, you constantly chime in to disagree.

and here, look at the nonsense you posted and when confronted, you lose the argument, obviously, but cannot admit it.

not impressed that you don't seem to have the integrity to admit you're wrong.

[hfojvt]

55. oh look

it's another insult

yes, I did leave this thread and found other things to do.

Surprisingly enough, I don't like to read shit like this about myself

"So rather than writing you off as a confused clueless person, or possibly as a troll wasting my time, I am going to take this moment to write this post and call you out as the bigot that you are. A sick, disgusting, abhorrent, appalling racist bigot."

and then see other people applauding it.

I do get tired of people splashing me with haterade.

Should I admit I was wrong to not hate this woman, and then to not hate everybody else who does not hate this woman?

Hatred, it's what's for breakfast.

[LanternWaste]

56. You see insult, I see accurate observation... which may often lie together in harmonious bliss.

You see dramatic insult and colorful hatred, I merely see an accurate observation-- which may often lie together in harmonious bliss.

However, I realize your impetus to rationalize it in such as way as to illustrate you less... accurately, shall we say.

[MADem]

24. But that didn't happen, did it? So why invent a little fantasy to "justify" what this woman did?

IF that had happened, (and interesting how you insert the word "racists" into your imaginary black principal's comments, instead of the simple "people" that this woman actually uttered) I am quite sure people would have called that imaginary person an asshole and an idiot and a racist, too.

You're bending over backwards trying to mitigate what this woman said. THAT's the bottom line, here. It's not about the valedectorian anymore. That poor person is probably glad to not have to give a speech at that shit school, wishes he never went there in the first place, and is glad to see the back of it.

The fact that nobody interrupted the principal's interpretation of the program at the outset suggests she's a bit of a martinet on a good day. People who fear correcting their bosses/superiors/seniors are usually that way because they get snarled at if they dare to say anything.

[hfojvt]

31. because she is probably thirsty

But that's just me.

There's a scene in the book "The Hunchback of Notre Dame". Quasimodo is put on the pillory. He is whipped for an hour, and then he is made to sit there and spin while the crowd hurls their hatred at him. After like an hour and a quarter of this, Quasimodo cries out "some water".

And the crowd laughs and mocks him some more.

They revel in their hatred.

They imagine he is the most evil person in the world.

It helps that he is repulsively ugly too.

Esmerelda, though, brings him some water.

I prefer to seek understanding rather than piling on the hate.

You seem to be trying to expand the hate on to me as well, for daring to see things different from you (different from the way ALL decent people see it of course).

For one thing, I see this incident from the eyes of my fellow valedictorian. I am in HIS shoes. I'm kinda pissed at the people walking out on my speech, ruining MY moment that I worked pretty damned hard for.

If they hadn't been leaving, the principal wouldn't have said anything.

Why bend over backwards trying to excuse what they DID?

They DID something disrespectful. She said something stupid. Which is worse? Which came first?

As for how bad the principal supposedly is. Well, it seems to be a private school. Unlike public schools, nobody is forced to go there.

[gollygee]

35. They thought it was over because she'd accidentally said it was over

and then, rather than take responsibility for that mistake, she lost it and started insulting people, and then tried to move the blame to the African Americans who thought it was over and then didn't feel like sitting back down as she was insulting them.

What she did is absolutely worse. I wish I could say I was shocked and horrified that you were finding ways to make this the fault of the victims of her racism and rudeness, but I'm only horrified.

[MADem]

42. Understanding?

Gee. No "understanding" for all those "black people" who were understandably offended.

They were in the PARKING LOT, a lot of them. Others were joining those who had already left.

There was just no "excuse" for what that woman said. Even she has come to that realization (and she knows her bottom line--as founder of that crappy academy--is probably fucked). Amazing that you can't come to that conclusion....

She isn't "thirsty." She's greedy, and nasty, and yeah, racist. This isn't the first time she's given short shrift to POC.

The fact that you justify her conduct by saying "Well, it seems to be a private school..." just makes what you're saying WORSE.

What's the deal here, we can get all Jim Crow if it's a PRIVATE school?

You stand ALONE on this...I'm stunned I'm reading this shit on DU.

[jwirr]

26. I think she skipped over the speech - I don't think it was left out of the program. If it was only

that people were walking out because they thought it was over it would be all races walking out. That is not what she said.

This is an unfortunate situation but why was she so insensitive to racial issues. Leaving the speech out till the very end can and does look like an insult.

Don't worry about her - next term the classes will probably be full of white kids. She'll make out fine.

As to the valedictorian - he did not get to give his speech but if he thinks about it he did get to make a point.

[MADem]

14. Yeah, she screwed it up and then blamed all of the "YOU PEOPLE" for her fuckup.

Damn. I thought I'd seen it all, but there it is!!! STILL!! In 2015!!

Many people had already left--see post 10. There were people in the parking lot, I'm betting some of the people in the hall were catching rides with some of the people in the car park, as well.

This was just a big, stinking hot mess that confirmed the biases that some of the students already believed that principal possessed.

[Cal Carpenter]

29. Yeah, I had a wrong impression on the details

I think from a thread I read about it earlier. But either way, there is NO justification for what that principal said, regardless of who was leaving and when. I totally agree with you.

[Igel]

13. Valedictories are traditional.

And they have to be at the end. Sort of a definition thing.

A valedictory is where the speaker basically dicet "vale". In more Anglo-Saxon terms, it's a say-goodbye thing where the speaker says "goodbye."

I think we also had a salutatorian who delivered the salutation.

Both date back to when schools were seen to form communities and graduations were community events. It was for the student body, for the parents, and a way for the already-graduated community to honor the being-graduated community as a group. It wasn't just a bunch of individuals forced to be there for an hour or more so they can see the only really important thing, their own kid walking across the stage to get a photo op.

Originally more of a private school thing, but also from days of yore when there was a bit more social capital and community cohesion.

[CreekDog]

30. And you blame Trayvon Martin too...

http://betterment.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=2330496

[Skittles]

54. BIG SURPRISE

NOT

[Exilednight]

6. when emotion gets the better if a person, their

True personality is on display.

"I deeply apologize for my actions made in the emotional state of trying to let this last student finish his speech," she wrote.

[JHB]

8. Now there's a "sense of entitlement" at work...

Lecturing the crowd about respect and manners -- even before she launched into the blatant racism -- in tems that showed NO respect and NO manners.

Should be titled "goes from Imperial Highness to Imperial Wizard in 60 seconds".

[MADem]

15. Thread WIN--damn that sums it up!!!! Great turn of phrase!

She's playing the Paula Deen victim card already--she's getting "vulgar" emails, she says:

[aikoaiko]

16. She says she was agitated and not herself -- I think it was actually who she is...

The facade came down for a moment.

[MADem]

18. +1 - that's the bottom line. nt

[progressiveforever]

50. Satan denies it.

Satan released a statement saying that he denies any ties to TNT Academy principal.

BUT SERIOUSLY, why would she say that unless her heart is cold as ice. And the devil had nothing to do with it.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

21. Yep. She brought a Klan Meeting to a Graduation Ceremony.

It is Stone Mountain Georgia.

Carved in to the side of Stone Mountain:

[freshwest]

47. What is wrong with the horse at the bottom? Looks like he's dying there. BTW, screw the CSA!

But not the horses they rode in on.

Thanks for that, I've never seen it.

But Stone Mountain is now well integrated, or so say my hispanic friends who live in the area.

[LeftInTX]

38. That's a graduation?

The principal seems very out of control from the get-go.....

(Video does seem limited to provide context), but this reminds me of the bad teacher who doesn't know what she's doing. (The kind who don't last a year at their job)

I bet that school is not a good place.

[LeftInTX]

39. Found this comment on the Daily Mail which seems to sum it up:

Look who's leaving, your career and reputation. Ignorance and stupidity, a life time of work thrown away because she couldn't think of something more constructive to say

.

[Liberal_in_LA]

40. now her son has posted the n-word online

[MADem]

43. How charming...! nt

[ScreamingMeemie]

45. That's only the half of it.

After looking at his facebook page, his dear mother has had some choice words for him there on his choice of girlfriends.

Including calling her a "crack whore" and asking him why he would date someone with a kid who isn't his. Told him he would get ebola. This woman is nuts and shouldn't be around children at all. I think TNT has done blown up.

[Gothmog]

46. This lady is a racist and an idiot

[steve2470]

49. time for her to resign and apologize sincerely! nt

[progressiveforever]

51. Agree

Resign and close the school down!

[steve2470]

52. yes I agree nt