A Kentucky eighth-grader has gone viral for going off-script and roasting his “f–king ridiculous” school in a graduation speech.
Daniel Mattingly abandoned his approved script during Thursday’s commencement at Stuart Middle School in Louisville and instead railed against the school, which he said is “built on racism, sexism and homophobia.
“Apparently, this school doesn’t know better than to give an angry gay kid a microphone,” Mattingly says in a now-viral clip of the speech.
After awkward laughter from the audience, Mattingly revealed that faculty shot down the original draft of his speech — which he claimed was meant to “cheer on and encourage oppressed youth” — because it was “too negative.”
The incensed teen then launched into a tirade about how the school treats “black, brown and mixed youth,” claiming it is “built on racism, sexism and homophobia,” ignoring astonished groans from the crowd.
“This school is f–king ridiculous!” he concludes — to rapturous applause from his fellow students.
Mattingly landed at the podium through his role as a student-council member, according to WAVE News.
His teachers had made him change his script multiple times before they would finally let him on stage, and they had no idea he planned to go rogue.
“The theme that I was given for the speech was acceptance. … A majority of it was just explaining that I see that people are going through trauma and going through oppression today,” he told WAVE.
Mattingly said both of his parents died of cancer when he was in elementary school and that his original speech had been meant to encourage students dealing with trauma.
His uncle posted the video online, where it quickly racked up hundreds of thousands of views.
“I encourage everyone here today to stand up for themselves even if it makes a scene,” he said from the mic.