Newsweek that all student speeches are coordinated through the high school principal. Cloutier said the principal works with the student in "connecting their educational experiences to a meaningful and inclusive message about the future for all students in the class and the students' invited guests."He said that all speeches are agreed upon and approved in advance and kept on stage for the principal to conduct the ceremony.But Dershem said that he was forced to take out all mentions of his queerness and eating disorder treatment during the speech editing process."I did feel censored," Dershem said.