High school valedictorian denied diploma for brutally honest graduation speech

[StageLeft]

Originally posted by: Jzero

Originally posted by: Skoorb
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.

Since when was valedictorian an elected position?
Since when did schools not prescreen graduation speeches? Mine did...you had to submit your speech ahead of time so that they could make sure there wasn't anything inappropriate in it.

I guess this school didn't prescreen 🙂 Oops, they will in the future! Elected/nominated, whatever, same thing.

 

[Jzero]

Originally posted by: Skoorb
I guess this school didn't prescreen 🙂 Oops, they will in the future!

Seriously 😀

Elected/nominated, whatever, same thing.

Dunno. At my school, the valedictorian had the highest GPA and the salutatorian had the second-highest. No nomination or election. That's the class president.

 

[StageLeft]

Dunno. At my school, the valedictorian had the highest GPA and the salutatorian had the second-highest. No nomination or election. That's the class president.

Ah, at mine we just nominated the popular dickhead in the class. I figured that this method (nominating the popular pecker in the class) was how it was done 😀

 

[thomsbrain]

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.

no, that analogy isn't valid. a better one would be if in his speech when he leaves office, he spoke of the problems that america was still facing, which seems like a perfectly appropriate subject to me. i fail to see how this is "advertising" herself. she was willing to stand up to status quo and go against the grain. lemme think of some other people who did that... martin luther king jr...gandi... but i guess they were just attention whores, so fvck em, right?

unless this is another "skoorbed" post, in which case congratulations on getting me worked up over nothing. 😉

edit: at my school the valedictorian had to have straight A's. we had more than one, so i think it came down to all real A's and no A-'s, then down to who had straight A's and perfect attendance. finally they whittled it down to one person.

 

[Jzero]

Originally posted by: Skoorb

Dunno. At my school, the valedictorian had the highest GPA and the salutatorian had the second-highest. No nomination or election. That's the class president.

Ah, at mine we just nominated the popular dickhead in the class. I figured that this method (nominating the popular pecker in the class) was how it was done 😀

Skoorbie, you sound a little bitter that you weren't your class dickhead.
I guess you are trying to redeem yourself here on ATOT? You've got my vote!
*rimshot 😀😀😀 I just couldn't resist.

 

[skace]

MrsSkoorb is holding out on him. Why do we get the backlash? 🙁

 

[alkemyst]

Originally posted by: Skoorb

Dunno. At my school, the valedictorian had the highest GPA and the salutatorian had the second-highest. No nomination or election. That's the class president.

Ah, at mine we just nominated the popular dickhead in the class. I figured that this method (nominating the popular pecker in the class) was how it was done 😀

You are talking about the Class King/Queen then...valedictorian and salutatorian are honor ranks based on the top 2 students GPA's by definition.

If your school thought otherwise perhaps that explains a lot.

Now as far as giving your own speech vs the speech you are *supposed* to give is majorly wrong. It's akin to going to a company convention, getting the mic and now spewing forth your PETA or Abortion advocacy. Some people just don't want to hear it, some people wanted to hear what you were supposed to talk about and made time to do so, and/or some people may be hurt / badly affected by words they would not have ever wanted to hear.

She was trying to make a point, however, she did so in the wrong way. Chances are instead of helping her cause she thwarted it a bit perhaps a lot. It's going to depend on those she needs to deal with to solve the problems and their perception of her whether she was right or wrong.

Look at half the posts in ATOT...being right or wrong has no bearing as much as the mob's perception. The peanut gallery goes off on a tangent or off heresy and one after another they do the nerd laugh and post again in agreement just to agree because it's the 'nitwit clique' that they want to be a part of. The real world is much like that only mostly it's done quietly, perhaps someone not signing off, or pushing an item to the bottom of the stack repeatedly, etc. If you know that's the way the game is played it's pretty easy to steer things your way or just incite the crowd 😉.

 

[StageLeft]

no, that analogy isn't valid. a better one would be if in his speech when he leaves office, he spoke of the problems that america was still facing, which seems like a perfectly appropriate subject to me.

No pres would make a parting speech and have the entire thing badmouthing the US and saying how bad it is.

lemme think of some other people who did that... martin luther king jr...gandi... but i guess they were just attention whores, so fvck em, right?

So, she's got the same aspirations as Ghandi? I don't think so! She's a spoiled little baby bratt who, even after writing her thoughts in the paper, still understood that people didn't want to hear her rambling crap, so she decided to go yet further and bitch about things so that, by God, people would listen. Unlike the paper where they have a choice, here they don't, so she could further her garbage without anybody having a say in the matter.

Skoorbie, you sound a little bitter that you weren't your class dickhead.

Nah, I screwed his mom in the end, so I win!

 

[notfred]

school= owned!

Who cares if she gets her diploma. She graduated and is goign to Smith in the fall, the peice of paper doesn't really mean that much.

 

[StageLeft]

Originally posted by: notfred
school= owned!

Who cares if she gets her diploma. She graduated and is goign to Smith in the fall, the peice of paper doesn't really mean that much.

It does if your'e a whiney little bitch who'd degrade your school's graduation ceremony 🙂

 

[alkemyst]

Originally posted by: lizardboy
my post got zapped - the OP couldn't spell "diploma" correctly...kind of funny in an article about shoddy schools

I was thinking it was your superior lizard camoflauge ability.

 

[toekramp]

skoorb, she did nothing that was 'whiney' or bitchy, she said what was going on and what needed to be said...tell me when would have been an appropriate time

 

[StageLeft]

Originally posted by: toekramp
skoorb, she did nothing that was 'whiney' or bitchy, she said what was going on and what needed to be said...tell me when would have been an appropriate time

Appropriate time would be like in a school paper. Really without any of us seeing the speech we're all just pissing in the wind, to different extents. If her speech was of an overall positive nature, which is only prudent I think, then it would have been fine reserving a spot for how she thinks that the school could do better. This could be done in a constructive manner, illustrating how with some changes things could be even better. But, if it was just starting off bad-mouthing people right off the bat and she was up there condeming everything and begging for a kick in the box, then it was inappropriate.

 

[toekramp]

Originally posted by: Skoorb

Originally posted by: toekramp
skoorb, she did nothing that was 'whiney' or bitchy, she said what was going on and what needed to be said...tell me when would have been an appropriate time

Appropriate time would be like in a school paper. Really without any of us seeing the speech we're all just pissing in the wind, to different extents. If her speech was of an overall positive nature, which is only prudent I think, then it would have been fine reserving a spot for how she thinks that the school could do better. This could be done in a constructive manner, illustrating how with some changes things could be even better. But, if it was just starting off bad-mouthing people right off the bat and she was up there condeming everything and begging for a kick in the box, then it was inappropriate.

:beer: truce

 

[DT4K]

Skoorb, will we see another apology and "I Love All of You" thread next week?

 

[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.

 

[DAGTA]

Had she said her remarks at any other time, they would have been completely ignored and forgotten. She chose a time when she knew it would get attention. Attention that might lead to changes that will make the school a better place for future students. What she did was a strategic decision to say the truth when it had the most chance of making an impact.

I was shocked to read this thread and see how many people are ripping into her. I guess those are people that always go along with the system that you're involved in and take it up the butt without ever speaking your mind. Age is not the deciding factor on maturity but I see many of you just discarding her words because she's 'only 18'. I've met many 18 year olds that have more sense and maturity than some middle aged people.

There's a reason why so many politicians and other people get away with anything in the U.S. It's because of idiots that won't speak up because, 'It's not the right time and place'.

 

[NikPreviousAcct]

Originally posted by: bleeb
haha nice. insult the institution that is helping you....

The point is that the institution was not helping her...

 

[rh71]

I just heard on the radio she will be given her degree now...

 

[Atomicus]

Originally posted by: FFMCobalt

Originally posted by: bleeb
haha nice. insult the institution that is helping you....

The point is that the institution was not helping her...

And if its the only place where concern can be voiced, let it be her speech. Insult? Its called the truth. It hurts eh?

 

[alkemyst]

Originally posted by: DAGTA
Had she said her remarks at any other time, they would have been completely ignored and forgotten. She chose a time when she knew it would get attention. Attention that might lead to changes that will make the school a better place for future students. What she did was a strategic decision to say the truth when it had the most chance of making an impact.

I was shocked to read this thread and see how many people are ripping into her. I guess those are people that always go along with the system that you're involved in and take it up the butt without ever speaking your mind. Age is not the deciding factor on maturity but I see many of you just discarding her words because she's 'only 18'. I've met many 18 year olds that have more sense and maturity than some middle aged people.

There's a reason why so many politicians and other people get away with anything in the U.S. It's because of idiots that won't speak up because, 'It's not the right time and place'.

There is a lot more to it than just 'speaking out'. She could have used her speech to mention a need to meet to discuss the school and left it at that giving those the power to come to the meeting and hear and speak themselves.

You go on to explain some things above but do nothing to explain your credentials...there are many 16 year olds claiming they are just as mature as their parents or any other adult and know everything there is to know about life....their friends probably buy that too, but sadly it's usually so far away from the truth it's pathetic.

I am very outspoken and that assembly of her peers was the wrong place and an abuse of the position they gave her there. You don't have the President of the United States trying to sell us items as he speaks or complaining about all the problems the system he is in has during a Union Address. He has this discussion at another time with another group of people.

More people need to speak on issues is correct, unfortunately many that do alienate their audience and do nothing to explain why they are right or the issue is important...they just bash their competition/problem/etc and think that by beating the other side to death it will prove their side as correct.

It's easy for anyone to show you the wrongs of something, but even if one thing is 100% wrong that doesn't guarantee even 1% of their's is right.

 

[Doboji]

Wow, strong words just because someone felt strongly enough to speak out on what they felt was a problem with their school. Judging from this girls involvement in the many school activities just maybe she was truly concerned about the state of the school. Maybe she has younger siblings or friends still in school and she wanted them to have a good education. Maybe she had been ignored by the school administration and felt that by addressing a large number of people it might affect some change. But then again maybe she's just a whore starved for attention.

Yeah you had it right at the end there... Look dont get me wrong, she had a right to say what she said... and the school was wrong to throw her out of the building. But she didnt do what she did because it was the "right" thing to do.. she did it for the attention, and she did it have a reaction, and cause a little controversy. You know what?... Hey good for her... she has a bright future but lets call the situation for what it really is.

Her complaints apply to almost every high-school in the country. If she were truly bright, she could easily have found a way to address the issues in a broader way, maybe even make some suggestions about how to correct the problems in the future, and then roll that up into "this is your responsibility as you go forward in life, to work on these issues we face in our society, and make the world a better place for everyone"... or some crap like that...

-Max

 

[StageLeft]

Originally posted by: DT4K
Skoorb, will we see another apology and "I Love All of You" thread next week?

Depends how bad this PMS is this month!

 

[nan0bug]

Originally posted by: Mwilding

Originally posted by: Shockwave
Where the hell did THAT come from?? I see no lizardboy post... 😕

Yeah, what he said...

I made a typo and he posted something to the effect of:

DIPLOMA. The word is in the damn article, can't you at least get it right in your title?

 

[Calin]

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.

If you take it this way, they should make a lower limit of how long the ovations will be after the principal's speech, or else the stundents will be punished by refusing them their diplomas.