Paxton Smith’s Biography, Net Worth, Fact, Career, Awards & Life Story

Paxton Smith Wiki – Paxton Smith Biography

Paxton Smith, the 2021 valedictorian at Lake Highlands High School, submitted to school officials an address on the effect of the media on young minds. But when she spoke at the graduation ceremony on Sunday, May 30, she talked of the theft of her rights and those of her classmates by the “heartbeat bill” signed into law by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott a week and a half before.

She had submitted an entirely different speech on the effect of the media on young minds to school officials for the commencement ceremony at Lake Highlands High School in Dallas on Sunday, but Smith said it was important to use the moment to criticize a controversial abortion law signed by Gov. Greg Abbott last month.

Paxton Smith Age

Paxton Smith‘s age is unknown.

Paxton Smith Protest Speech Against Anti-abortion Law

axton Smith had submitted an entirely different speech on the effect of the media on young minds to school officials for the commencement ceremony at Lake Highlands High School in Dallas on Sunday, but Smith said it was important to use the moment to criticize a controversial abortion law signed by Gov. Greg Abbott last month.

“I refuse to give up this platform … when there is a war on my body and a war on my rights,” Smith said.

Smith called the legislation “a war on the rights of your mothers, a war on the rights of your sisters, a war on the rights of your daughters. We cannot stay silent,” Smith said to her graduating class.

Smith was able to finish her speech without interruption. It’s not unusual for school officials to intervene when a student deviates from an approved graduation speech. The impromptu speech has prompted the Richardson Independent School District to reevaluate its set of protocols regarding future student speeches.

“Everything that was supposed to be said during graduation was included in a notebook on the podium,” Karen Clardy, RISD school board president, told Lake Highlands Advocate. “The speech that was delivered was not the one that was submitted, and it was not in the podium book. This student chose to instead use an alternate speech that had not been submitted or approved in advance.”

The new law criticized by Smith prevents Texas citizens from getting an abortion if a fetal heartbeat is detectable, which can take place “as early as six weeks gestation — or six weeks from a woman’s last menstrual period.” The legislation, which is set to go into effect Sept. 1, would also allow private citizens to sue individuals and abortion providers who violate the ban.

Smith and other opponents of the bill have argued that this limited time window circumscribes women’s decision-making process.

“Before they have a chance to decide if they are emotionally, physically and financially stable enough to carry out a full-term pregnancy, before they have the chance to decide if they can take on the responsibility of bringing another human being into the world, that decision is made for them by a stranger,” Smith said, according to a video of the speech published by Dallas TV station WFAA.

“I have dreams, hopes and ambitions,” Smith said. “Every girl here does. We have spent our whole lives working toward our futures, and without our consent or input, our control over our futures has been stripped away from us.”

Following the speech, Smith’s verbal protest has circulated widely on social media, with comedian Sarah Silverman and former Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton commending her for giving the speech.