June 9, 2015
Judge Tom
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Coming out at graduation

More and more teenagers are coming out to their parents and friends as tolerance grows for the LGBT community. We expect the Supreme Court to rule in favor of gay marriage this month. How one breaks the news is a personal choice.

In May, 2015, high school valedictorian Emily Bruell of Roaring Fork High School in Colorado chose to announce her orientation during her speech. Using signs as props, she received a standing ovation when she held up a card that read “Gay.” She stated “I’m not just gay. I’m not just smart. No one is. No label is big enough to hold an entire person.”

School principal, Drew Adams, explained that he knew of Emily’s speech beforehand. “As a school community we have embraced tolerance,” he commented. We commend Emily for her courage and honesty, and Mr. Adams for being a role model for educators and the community at large.

Judge Tom

The Author Judge Tom

Judge Tom is the founder and moderator of AsktheJudge.info. He is a retired juvenile judge and spent 23 years on the bench. He has written several books for lawyers and judges as well as teens and parents including 'Teen Cyberbullying Investigated' (Free Spirit Publishing) and 'Every Vote Matters: the Power of Your Voice, from Student Elections to the Supreme Court' (Free Spirit Publishing). In 2020, the American Bar Association published "Cyberbullying Law," the nation's first case-law book written for lawyers, judges and law students. When he's not answering teens' questions, Judge Tom volunteers with the American Red Cross and can be found hiking, traveling and reading.

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