High School Valedictorian Stripped of the Title After Graduation Ceremony, Sparking Online Outrage

While school officials cited time limits and protocol, what Austin Tran actually said on stage has drawn praise rather than criticism, and offers no hint of the controversy that followed.

A high school valedictorian in Kansas has had his title rescinded by school officials after delivering an unapproved speech during his graduation ceremony. The move has triggered widespread public backlash and an outpouring of support for the student.

Austin Tran, a senior at Bishop Carroll Catholic High School in Wichita, delivered a speech during the May 18, 2025, graduation that exceeded the allotted time and included personal reflections not present in the version he had submitted for approval.

Although attendees described the speech as emotional and heartfelt, the school asked Austin to return his valedictorian medal and removed the title from official school records.

Following the school's decision, support for Austin grew rapidly online. An initial petition demanding that Bishop Carroll reinstate his valedictorian status was signed by 9,795 people before being removed. A new petition has since been launched, gaining over 4,400 verified signatures as of May 29, 2025.

The school has not made a public comment on the decision. The Catholic Diocese of Wichita also declined to address the matter, citing school policy not to discuss administrative or disciplinary issues involving students.

The controversy has prompted some Bishop Carroll alumni to return their academic honors in solidarity with Austin. Zachary Faber, the Class of 2003 salutatorian, returned his medal to the school, placing it on the sign in the front courtyard. In a statement shared with KWCH, Faber expressed his dismay.

"If the medal I received as the salutatorian of Bishop Carroll's Class of 2003 was not an award recognizing the hard work and dedication it took to earn, but a shiny ornament that can be swiped away by arbitrary, bureaucratic judgment, then it has become worthless," said Zachary.

"To restore its value, the medal I returned to Bishop Carroll today represents my support for a great young man and my disappointment in people I trust. Those in attendance at Bishop Carroll’s graduation ceremony can bear witness to the fact that Austin's speech was a touching and appropriate burst of color in a sea of beige pleasantries," he concluded.

Lauren Dean, a valedictorian from the Class of 1983, also returned her medal, stating that it no longer held meaning for her. "When I saw that that award can be taken away so easily and for something so arbitrary and capricious, my medal just didn’t have meaning to me anymore and so my reaction was, 'Austin can have mine,'" she stated.

Lauren, like many others who heard the speech, said there was nothing wrong with it. "There was nothing offensive in there, nothing inappropriate. It was a genuine, heartfelt speech."

Austin's mother, Ann Nguyen Tran, shared her perspective in a public Facebook post on May 21. She stated that Austin initially submitted a speech that was rejected because it did not meet specific criteria, including its length and lack of references to the Catholic faith. After receiving a revised set of guidelines, he submitted a second version that was approved.

However, the night before graduation, he chose to revise the speech again to make it more personal and meaningful. Ann explained that her son stayed up all night rewriting it.

She expressed, "He wanted a personal and authentic speech that's not AI generated nor compressed into a few minutes... so that his sincere message to his classmates can be delivered in the manner and tone that he wanted, rather than what was dictated."

Ann noted that administrators considered the last-minute changes, as well as a brief exchange between Austin and the vice principal before the ceremony, as disrespectful.

She described how the family was preparing for an international trip and learned via email that the school had made a final decision to strip Austin of his title without first giving them a chance to discuss the matter or provide context.

She expressed concern that the decision might impact her son's scholarship opportunities. "They asked him to return the medal and he will not be listed as the Valedictorian for the Class of 2025 on his transcripts or on any document or plaque at BC," she wrote.

Public responses to the controversy have been emotional and supportive of Austin. On the Facebook post by his mother, one person commented, "Who's running this school? This is the 2nd complaint I have heard this year. That's a shame that they are thinking about themselves for 1 speech instead of how hard he worked for many years. Sounds very egotistical to me."

Another netizen shared their personal experience at the ceremony. "When I came up to you after graduation to tell you how amazing that speech was, I had no idea the controversy. I laughed and cried. I'm sorry you guys are going through this, but we stand behind you and he will always be in good standing with this community no matter the outcome [sic]."

One person wrote, "This is absolutely shameful and does not show accordingly at all. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that speech very true and straight to the heart [sic]." Another added simply, "Amen! Justice for Austin!"

Austin's graduation speech, the focal point of his valedictorian title being revoked, has been widely described as personal, emotional, and sincere — but not controversial.

The youngster opened his remarks by thanking everyone in attendance, including Bishop Kemme and various faculty members. He began with light-hearted acknowledgments to friends and classmates, joking about a missed trip to Fiji by his parents to attend the ceremony.

He followed this with a heartfelt message to the Class of 2025, reflecting on their shared experiences and future uncertainties.

Austin admitted to writing the speech late at night — "as of Wednesday, May 14th, 2025 at 1:38 A.M." — and described his struggle to summarize four years of emotions in just a few minutes.

At one point, he confessed, "Frankly, I'm not sure what I'm doing," and added later, "It's okay to not know, to admit that you have no clue what's going on, to ask for help, because a lot of the time, no one knows what's going on."

The speech wove in gratitude toward his teachers, classmates, lunch staff, and parents. Austin expressed deep appreciation for the care and support he had received during his time at Bishop Carroll.

One quote included, "To the teachers... who let us get a glimpse of their own personal lives and formed relationships with us... thank you, thank you, thank you."

He also acknowledged his peers for shaping his identity, humor, and values over the years. "Thank you for my sense of humor, my mannerisms, and my memories from the past four years," he said, later noting, "Thank you for everything. Thank you for saving my life."

In closing, Austin encouraged his classmates to maintain their connections beyond graduation. He urged them not to let parting promises fade, saying, "Don't let the, 'let's keep in touches' said in the parking lot after this graduation be wishful thinking."

The speech ended with a quote that had stayed with him since childhood, "Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines... Explore. Dream. Discover."

According to a Facebook post by his mother, Ann, dated May 15, 2025, Austin held multiple academic honors and leadership positions: he was National Honor Society President, Chess Club President, co-founder of the Asian Heritage Club, an AP Scholar with Distinction, National Merit Finalist, Kansas Governor’s Scholar, and recipient of the Mgsr. Arthur Barth Scholastic Award.

He also earned a Cum Honore Diploma, was a State Scholars Bowl Champion, and a three-time State Chess Winner.

Another post, dated May 6, 2025, celebrated his selection as a 2025 Governor's Scholar, recognizing him among the top academic one percent of Kansas high school seniors.

Despite these accomplishments, it was the few added lines and sincere tone of his farewell message that led to disciplinary action, not its content. Austin's speech remains widely circulated and praised in his community, with many still expressing disbelief that it led to the stripping of his title.