Michelle Obama scraps graduation speech

First lady Michelle Obama is scrapping her plans to deliver a graduation speech for high school seniors in Topeka, Kan., after hundreds signed a petition in protest.

Instead of delivering a graduation speech, Obama will speak before the school district the day before graduation, and will deliver remarks at a “Senior Recognition Day.”

{mosads}More than 1,750 people had signed a petition protesting the first lady’s appearance at the graduation ceremony, angered that security concerns would limit the number of friends and family who could attend.

According to the Topeka Capital-Journal, students would have only been allotted six tickets apiece had the first lady maintained her original plans.

In a statement to The Hill, the first lady’s communications director said Obama wanted to accommodate all who hoped to attend the graduation ceremony.

“Once we learned about the concerns of some students, we were eager to find a solution that enabled all of the students and their families to celebrate the special day,” she told the wire service.

The first lady’s address is meant to commemorate the anniversary of the landmark Brown v. Board of Education desegregation ruling.

“The remarks will celebrate the achievements of the graduating class of high school seniors in Topeka, home of the landmark U.S. Supreme Court case, Brown v. Board of Education, which is celebrating its 60th anniversary this year,” the White House said in a statement.