High school valedictorian denied diploma for brutally honest graduation speech

[Orsorum]

lol At my graduation, they had a box for the donations for the senior gift up on stage (tastefully hidden, of course). All the graduates were supposed to slip the principal $5 or something as we shook his hand. It was, by far, one of the most f'ed up things I've ever seen. Neither I nor any of the other valedictorians donated money - shook his hand, big smile on our faces, and a "have a nice life" under our breaths. We had a really weird high school experience.

 

[MillionaireNextDoor]

This is why most schools screen the speech before allowing it to be read. Thus Censorship begins..

 

[Orsorum]

Originally posted by: MillionaireNextDoor
This is why most schools screen the speech before allowing it to be read. Thus Censorship begins..

I wouldn't say it's censorship. The schools have the responsibility to make sure inappropriate remarks are not made (e.g. "fvck you!", "You're all gay!"), that sort of thing. Now, depending on how far they edited someone's tastefully written speech is another matter.

 

[dfi]

I don't think what she did was appropriate. Then again, every youngster wants to make a difference and stick it to "the man". Regardless, denying her the diploma is equally childish and probably not legal.

Anyways, all I can do is hope that someday my boss gets fired for mouthing off the way she did, and I get his job and laugh my ass off all the way to the bank.

dfi

 

[Calin]

Originally posted by: kt

Originally posted by: Calin

Originally posted by: Skoorb
Too fvcking bad. She may be totally right, but it's not the forum for it. When she was elected (assuming she was) to be valedictorian, she was elected that way so that she'd give some cushy speech about how great things are. Some things surely were. So, instead of focusing on the positives of the life of those at the school she instead focused on the negative and attention whored herself, while upsetting a lot of people. She sounds like a selfish bitch and did the same thing that michael moore did that time.

Saying out loud the things that troubled the students should not be punished. If she insulted someone, that's another problem. but it looks like she just said what was wrong during the years. She did no wrong, why is she punished? And what reason they have to deny her diploma?

Calin

Like Skoorb said before, it's not the proper forum for her to address all those problems. If she wanted to do it properly, she wouldn't do it during a graduation speech. That is just in bad taste. How would you like it if you invite someone to deliver a eulogy at a funeral and he/she does the same thing to you. That is just disrespectful. IF she wanted to make a statement, she should've declined to be the valedictorian. However, she didn't. Instead she accepted the valedictorianship under false pretense.

Don't get me wrong, I am not agreeing with the school's reaction to the situation. All I am saying is that she's in the wrong first and two wrong's don't make it right.

Well, silly me. I supposed the valedictorian is not choosen, but it is the best student. And that the speech should be a conclusion to all the years in the school, and an introduction to the things to come.
It is some immorality in it. But as long as the other students were in her support, this was the truth.
I accept that she is not welcomed in the school - revenge is the weapon of the fool - but why her mother is also not allowed in the school? The mother wasn't disrespectful. And the diploma thing is just <penal or criminal> wrong. (the education is probably controlled by federal laws)

Calin

 

[SuperTool]

I bet she won't be invited to any parties.

 

[Kadarin]

Originally posted by: Apathetic
That's just WRONG. The girl earned her diploma, she should receive it - PERIOD.

Dave

I agree. The administration has their panties in a bunch because they couldn't take some public criticism? Bah..

 

[Squisher]

As wrong as she was for abusing her opportunity to give the kind of speech that was appropriate, didn't the school administration think that their actions were going to bring down a ton of negative publicity?

If they are so inept at handling this situation it makes you wonder if the problems she outlined weren't draconian budget constraints but some sort of malfeasance by the administration.

 

[Cerb]

Originally posted by: skace
Sometimes people gotta say it like it is. Cushy speeches suck. She will get her diploma.

When your best student hates the school then that really says something for the quality of education.

 

[austin316]

Originally posted by: Lager
LET DONNA GRADUATE! LET DONNA GRADUATE!

I always thought that joke was pretty funny. but when I hear it, the name is Leroy.

 

[clamum]

Good for her. At least she used the speech for good means instead of it being a bunch of boring crap that you always hear at these speeches.

 

[clamum]

Originally posted by: SuperTool
I bet she won't be invited to any parties.

Heck yeah she would! Didn't it say that students were in agreement with her? I'd invite her to my parties :beer:.

 

[bozack]

to funny, my wife graduated from smith college so I had to forward her the link. thanks

 

[txxxx]

Originally posted by: Arkitech

Originally posted by: Skoorb
Too fvcking bad. She may be totally right, but it's not the forum for it. When she was elected (assuming she was) to be valedictorian, she was elected that way so that she'd give some cushy speech about how great things are. Some things surely were. So, instead of focusing on the positives of the life of those at the school she instead focused on the negative and attention whored herself, while upsetting a lot of people. She sounds like a selfish bitch and did the same thing that michael moore did that time.

Its always a right time to speak out against bad conditions. Besides its already to much fluff talk in this country as it is, the sooner people learn to deal with reality the sooner issues that need to be addressed can be resolved.

Agreed. Skoorb may want to keep his eyes shut and let generations after generations suffer, but clearly this girl didnt agree. What better time to really air the situation.

 

[mugs]

Skoorb, I completely agree with you. She needs to set aside her teenage angst and desire to stick it to her school and have some respect. There are better forums for what she did - the local newspaper for instance. As if any of the parents at the graduation didn't know about the 4 principals in 4 years? If this girl was so pissed about the quality of education she was getting, she should have contacted someone about it earlier, not bitched about it in her valedictory speech.

 

[cquark]

Originally posted by: mugs
Skoorb, I completely agree with you. She needs to set aside her teenage angst and desire to stick it to her school and have some respect. There are better forums for what she did - the local newspaper for instance. As if any of the parents at the graduation didn't know about the 4 principals in 4 years? If this girl was so pissed about the quality of education she was getting, she should have contacted someone about it earlier, not bitched about it in her valedictory speech.

How do you know she didn't contact anyone earlier?

Anyway, she's going to get her diploma, and apparently the speech did some good as school district officials are going to meet with her about problems with the school.

 

[Atomicus]

Originally posted by: mugs
Skoorb, I completely agree with you. She needs to set aside her teenage angst and desire to stick it to her school and have some respect. There are better forums for what she did - the local newspaper for instance. As if any of the parents at the graduation didn't know about the 4 principals in 4 years? If this girl was so pissed about the quality of education she was getting, she should have contacted someone about it earlier, not bitched about it in her valedictory speech.

And they would kick her out BEFORE she graduated, that would be very smart. Atleast during the speech she knows she is a graduate and cannot succumb to the whims of the corrupted administration.
So lets all vote for Bush again and stick to our Democracy? FVCK NO. Bring on someone who can spell.

 

[Bassyhead]

she should get her diploma

 

[Gunslinger08]

Skoorb = new Mill?

You both certainly love to play devil's advocate and take the stupidest points of view ever.

 

[Ausm]

Originally posted by: joshsquall
Skoorb = new Mill?

You both certainly love to play devil's advocate and take the stupidest points of view ever.

They are both attention whores....I might have to add that one to my list 😉

Sysadmin

 

[Ausm]

Originally posted by: Skoorb
Too fvcking bad. She may be totally right, but it's not the forum for it. When she was elected (assuming she was) to be valedictorian, she was elected that way so that she'd give some cushy speech about how great things are. Some things surely were. So, instead of focusing on the positives of the life of those at the school she instead focused on the negative and attention whored herself, while upsetting a lot of people. She sounds like a selfish bitch and did the same thing that michael moore did that time.

I think she has EVERY right to bitch about school conditions. America's Education system has been going down the shitter for a longtime. Academia in general wastes tons of money on useless crap .


Sysadmin

 

[waggy]

Originally posted by: mugs
Skoorb, I completely agree with you. She needs to set aside her teenage angst and desire to stick it to her school and have some respect. There are better forums for what she did - the local newspaper for instance. As if any of the parents at the graduation didn't know about the 4 principals in 4 years? If this girl was so pissed about the quality of education she was getting, she should have contacted someone about it earlier, not bitched about it in her valedictory speech.

did you even read the article? if so then maybe you want to go back have someone read it for you.

Among her gripes: The school has had four principals in four years, overcrowded classes, a shortage of textbooks and other basic materials, unqualified teachers, unstable staffing and uncaring administrators who refused to meet with students to discuss the school's problems

she tried to meet with them but they didn't want to talk to them.

she did the best she could with the options she had. At least she is going to get her diploma. I'm just amazed that the school did this in the first place. Did they think she would just apologize and forget it? sheesh.

 

[mugs]

Originally posted by: waggy

Originally posted by: mugs
Skoorb, I completely agree with you. She needs to set aside her teenage angst and desire to stick it to her school and have some respect. There are better forums for what she did - the local newspaper for instance. As if any of the parents at the graduation didn't know about the 4 principals in 4 years? If this girl was so pissed about the quality of education she was getting, she should have contacted someone about it earlier, not bitched about it in her valedictory speech.

did you even read the article? if so then maybe you want to go back have someone read it for you.

Among her gripes: The school has had four principals in four years, overcrowded classes, a shortage of textbooks and other basic materials, unqualified teachers, unstable staffing and uncaring administrators who refused to meet with students to discuss the school's problems

she tried to meet with them but they didn't want to talk to them.

she did the best she could with the options she had. At least she is going to get her diploma. I'm just amazed that the school did this in the first place. Did they think she would just apologize and forget it? sheesh.

Yes I read the article, you don't have to be a dick about it just because I don't agree with your point of view. Maybe you should have someone re-read my post for you. When I said she should have contacted someone about it earlier, I didn't say she should have contacted the administrators of her own school. Go above them, to the district level (if they have districts in NYC) or someone in the chancellor's office. Or, as I said, a letter to the editor of a newspaper would bring it to people's attention. Instead she felt the need to cheapen everyone else's graduation ceremony by using it as a platform for her own complaints. I know I'd feel a sense of pride and accomplishment if the valedictory speech at my graduation was about how badly my school sucked.

The school was wrong to refuse to give her the diploma, but she used the wrong venue to voice her concerns.

The first paragraph implies that she was escorted from the school and refused her diploma during the graudation ceremony, but a few paragraphs down you see that it's not until the next day that they refuse to give her the diploma. That's the kind of fine reporting I expect to see in a news source as esteemed as the Daily News.

 

[flxnimprtmscl]

Originally posted by: Skoorb

Originally posted by: Calin

Originally posted by: Skoorb
Too fvcking bad. She may be totally right, but it's not the forum for it. When she was elected (assuming she was) to be valedictorian, she was elected that way so that she'd give some cushy speech about how great things are. Some things surely were. So, instead of focusing on the positives of the life of those at the school she instead focused on the negative and attention whored herself, while upsetting a lot of people. She sounds like a selfish bitch and did the same thing that michael moore did that time.

Saying out loud the things that troubled the students should not be punished. If she insulted someone, that's another problem. but it looks like she just said what was wrong during the years. She did no wrong, why is she punished? And what reason they have to deny her diploma?

Calin

How can you say she did no wrong? She was elected to give a valedictorian speech. She abused that responsibility by furthering her own personal agenda and personal opinions. I suppose that you'd have no problem with Bush giving one of his speeches and half way through breaking into a sales pitch for a new kitchen appliance that he's invented.

I mean, didn't she already write about it in the school paper ?

Yes, but obviously people didn't care, so she had to keep neffing until somebody paid notice. Typical of a spoiled teenager.

You know, I've been trying to be nice lately but this has just derailed me. This might just be the stupidest thing I've read all week, which is really saying something.

First off, you keep saying she was trying to further her own agenda. Mind telling us all what agenda that might be? Last time I checked, after you graduate you don't go back... Maybe that's just where I went to school, though. But, if her school is anything like my school then she was free of the problem. So what exactly did she have to gain from speaking out against what she, and quite a few other students, percieved to be a problem? To my ears, and I'm just spitballing here, it sounds like she was trying to help the students that followed her at that school.

Also, if you'll read the article you'll see that it wasn't just her opinion, which you're trying to make it sound like.

And lastly, if a problem is serious enough then you need to keep "neffing" until someone pays attention. Believe it or not people don't always listen the first time and change usually comes from persistence. But I guess she just should have shut up when they ignored her the first time. Typical spoiled teenager. Typical spoiled Blacks, Jews, women, American colonists, etc.. I wish they'd all just known when to shut up.

 

[dr150]

Since the position is based on merit, there is no elected censorship rule in effect.


There is nothing more admirable than STANDING UP for your beliefs. What better place to crap on a sh*t school than doing it in front of local press, parents, and the administration. I guarantee you that at the next parrent's community/booster meetings, many of the concerns raised in the speech will be addressed in front of the administration. Parents who want a great education for their kids will not blow off such heavy words that come from the school's best student. 😉

I was also a Valedictorian and went to a sh*t school. I raised concerns in front of the Principal and Counselors beginning in my Sophomore year. NOTHING was done. ONLY when I brought my complacent parents, did the salary drones raise an ear.

I applaud her for her stance and the sh*tstorm she brewed for the coming year! :beer: