Wright's Refusal

The question of if Wright was correct in refusing to recite the headmaster’s speech is all a matter of opinion. If you are thinking from the position of what would be best for his future then it would definitely have been better for him to say the headmaster’s speech because he would not have to deal with any possible consequences of white suppression and would get his credit for graduating from eighth grade. However, from a different more moralistic stand point, he was absolutely correct in refusing to read a blanket statement because, foremost it gave him the freedom to say what he wished. It was wrong of the headmaster to force him to read a statement when he didn’t even know what Richard would say, nor did he know if it would truly be inflammatory. Secondly, it was a great step in throwing off shackles that people placed on Richard when trying to force him to bend to their rules and more importantly struck against the white supremacy in the area, though the blow may have been small. Overall, I think it was right for Richard to deny his headmaster’s statement and make his own.