Rick Santorum Admits Cancelled "Leadership" Speech to High School Students Actually About Gay Marriage

Impact

Former Republican senator from Pennsylvania and one of the GOP candidates for the 2012 presidential election, Rick Santorum, criticzed officials of Grosse Pointe South High School in Michigan for canceling an assembly where he was scheduled to speak. This event, scheduled for April 24, included an address about leadership from the presidential hopeful. However, the assembly was cancelled after officials of the district were not granted access to a copy of Santorum’s speech. 

Detroit News recently reported that his speech will happen regardless, and parents of students at Grosse Pointe South High School can choose whether their child will attend the speech. However, reports show that Santorum intended to discuss gay marriage during this speech, not "leadership." He would have spoken to a student body compromising of more than 1600 teenagers, ages ranging from 14 to 18 years old, on this controversial topic. The actions of the school are justifiable. Officials overseeing the speech should be prepared for the statements Santorum would have made and, furthermore, deemed its appropriateness for the audience attending the event.

Santorum released this statement regarding the cancellation:

"It's a sad day when liberal educators are allowed to influence young minds — extending free speech rights only to those who share their liberal views. I support traditional marriage; I believe marriage should be between one man and one woman. I'm not sure what the administrators in the Grosse Pointe Public School System are afraid of, but these students deserve the respect to form their own opinion on this important issue.

 Furthermore, anyone who has ever seen me speak knows I rarely use prepared text. In the case of Grosse Pointe High School — I was never asked for a copy of a speech, nor did I send one. This has nothing to do with the content of a speech, but rather the context of my convictions." 

Santorum's response only prove that the school made the correct decision in cancelling the event. He was asked to discuss leadership to a group of developing adolescents, and yet he was preparing a discussion on gay marriage. Throughout his GOP presidential nominee campaign, he made controversial statements about marriage equality and has a clear stance disapproving this issue.

The Michigan high school officials only had the interest of the student body in mind in ensuring the appropriateness of the subject matter. While Santorum maintains they are "liberal educators" that dismiss his political views, the officials might be in the right for ensuring a suitable discourse for their audience.