Quite the Valedictorian speech

[Magical2017]

I am really trying to see her side, but I just can't on this one. The speech is supposed to be inspiring. Speak your mind and be honest but choose your audience.

1. The line about notifying her about scholarships...it sounds like the information was out there based on Rubio's comments. Blaming the office staff seems petty.
2. It sounds like there was a problem with an intoxicated teacher and it was dealt with. Yeah, it sucks that a teacher was arrested, but why not express her displeasure while she was still a student? It sounds like the school dealt with it. Maybe she did, and maybe there is much more to the story. Bringing it up during her speech was serving what purpose, though?
3. Again, another issue she was displeased with was the counselor. Unless she addressed this while still a student, what does bringing it up during her speech do for her classmates who are sitting in the audience?

All of this should have been addressed in another way, based on the limited information in the article. I hope she does an interview so I can hear her side.

 

[amcnj]

I guess I am with those who feel she misused her speech and made it a little too personal maybe is the word. Yes this was a big moment for her, congratulations on being valedictorian, but it was also graduation day for every other student and a big day for their families and friends too.

I don’t have a problem with stating there are issues, as there are everywhere, and calling attention to areas that could use improvement which would help all. But some things said, the teacher with a substance abuse problem for example, seemed questionable. Of course I only know what little I have read about all of this, and maybe she was right in doing what she did. It would be interesting to learn if her fellow graduates felt the same way as she did.

 

[Disney Doll]

Classless. If I was her mother, she’d spend quite awhile regretting her decision to make that speech publicly.

 

[Kathryn Merteuil]

I can see why she feels she had things to say- but I just don't feel like that was the place. She took EVERYONE'S graduation ceremony and really turned it into her event.

This is SO true!

This was not the time, nor the place!

 

[3 MEN AND A BOAT]

Things like this and those speakers that go on about themselves make me wish they would just do away with speech’s at grad ceremonies, I’m there for one person. Sitting in a not so comfortable chair and listening to people drone on is exhausting. Walk them across stage and let’s get out of here, I’m hungry.

 

[Disneylover99]

Things like this and those speakers that go on about themselves make me wish they would just do away with speech’s at grad ceremonies, I’m there for one person. Sitting in a not so comfortable chair and listening to people drone on is exhausting. Walk them across stage and let’s get out of here, I’m hungry.

I agree. I hate speeches. Any and all. Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. Let’s eat!

 

[John VN]

She needs a good spanking.

Ever taste Ivory Soap with a water chaser???

 

[luvsJack]

I don’t know, in a way, I like her spunk. If the things she says are true and have been brought to the attention on the admin before with no results, maybe it was time for someone to make it public.

If, instead of ignoring her, the drunk teacher is at the very least reprimanded and the counselor made to do her job then this girl has done something positive for the students coming behind her.

She didn’t make graduation about her, she made it about the issues in the school.

It doesn’t sound like there was really a nice way to say the things she said. Yeah, she aired their dirty laundry but it is a public school. When there are those kind of problems, some times a little airing will do some good.

This is another one of those things where we think it’s better to keep things all prim and proper and don’t make waves or rock the boat. Just say the same old, same old and pretend everything is wonderful at your dear old school that gave you this wonderful opportunity. Some times positive change comes from rocking that boat.

Now, otoh, if none of this was every brought to the admin prior to her speech, then I can see where the speech was quite shocking to the powers that be. And either she or her parents should have brought these problems out way before graduation.

And perhaps she should have taken more of a “hey look what we accomplished in spite of these hurdles” approach similar to @Southernmiss’s sons speech.

Either way, sounds like changes need to be made at this young lady’s school and not with the graduation ceremony.

 

[mnrose]

Back in the day, I gave the student commencement address at my University. I was NOT required to submit the script in advance, but I would have been embarrassed to do what the student did here. I gave the typical speech. I think it's disrespectful to attack during a speech like that. She (and her parents) certainly COULD bring those concerns to light in another way.

 

[luvsJack]

I am really trying to see her side, but I just can't on this one. The speech is supposed to be inspiring. Speak your mind and be honest but choose your audience.

1. The line about notifying her about scholarships...it sounds like the information was out there based on Rubio's comments. Blaming the office staff seems petty.
2. It sounds like there was a problem with an intoxicated teacher and it was dealt with. Yeah, it sucks that a teacher was arrested, but why not express her displeasure while she was still a student? It sounds like the school dealt with it. Maybe she did, and maybe there is much more to the story. Bringing it up during her speech was serving what purpose, though?
3. Again, another issue she was displeased with was the counselor. Unless she addressed this while still a student, what does bringing it up during her speech do for her classmates who are sitting in the audience?

All of this should have been addressed in another way, based on the limited information in the article. I hope she does an interview so I can hear her side.

It’s the counselors job to notify students about possible scholarships. If the counselor didn’t give students the information in enough time before the deadline, money is lost.

For instance, Our high school gives out a tremendous amount of money in alumni scholarships. They have had counselors that just didn’t bother to let any of the students know what they had to do to apply. Some years every scholarship would be given to a child, grandchild or relative of the person giving the money for the scholarship because they were the only ones that knew to apply. The school has fired a few counselors over this one thing because so much money would be left on the table that these kids very much needed for college.

 

[snappy]

I am betting she’s a “mean girl” type

 

[FlightlessDuck]

Not my child.
Not my school.

I have no opinion.

Although my children's guidance counselors were also totally useless. So I know the feeling.

 

[mnrose]

Not my child.
Not my school.

I have no opinion.

Although my children's guidance counselors were also totally useless. So I know the feeling.

Pretty much useless in my children's high school too. Although I do NOT blame the counselors. They each had 500 kids they were responsible for. 500. Pretty darn hard to do a good job when you've got 500 kids. My kids were not "problem" kids. Had their crap together. Did well in school. So they go no attention. There were as many counselors in my high school a thousand years ago with far, far fewer students than there were in my kids' high school. Counseling is one of the first things slashed in budget control mode by districts. Sad. If not for us (DH and I) knowing how the college admission process worked, we'd have been lost entirely. I have no idea how kids fare when their parents are not knowledgeable about the process.

 

[lifesavacation]

Not the right time, although what she said was probably true.

I have to ask the other parents, do your school counselors do anything? My daughter’s is absolutely worthless. I don’t know where her time is spent, but it’s not with students.

 

[cinnaminny]

I have zero issue with people burning down the house when they need to, but this just came off like a bad stereotype that would be considered typical of this current generation. It wasn't inspiring at all, it was just a few thank you's and a grudge rant. The office people didn't inform you of a scholarship that existed? I've had two kids gradute from HS and neither of them got updates from the office. So for me that came off as a pretty petty thing to add to your list of gripes in a valedictorian speech. Drunk teacher probably wasn't there as he/she was escorted at a previous date, so she just humiliated someone with a real issue, who was already pretty low. And with the way things are now, everyone is trying to go viral... Not a fan.

 

[okeydokey]

I get where she is coming from. Some counselors at my kids' High School were great, but we had some terrible ones too. I actually has to tell one of them what they needed to do for my son's National Merit application, they had no idea. If I hadn't done that, he may have missed on a full ride scholarship.

They lost his volunteer hour forms (several of them) and he hadn't been proactive about it, he would have missed out on his Bright Futures.

They push the kids to ASP classes over dual enrollment because the teachers get extra money for that, without caring about what is best for the students.

I understand that they have a lot of students to handle, but the turnover was terrible so there was no continuity, my kids never had the same person twice.

 

[L&Lfan]

It’s funny... we had guidance counselors in high school in the ‘70s but I never once thought to meet with one. Right or wrong, I was under the impression they were for students with “problems”. I was basically self guided or I relied on my parents’ wisdom. Did anyone else have this experience? On second thought, I do recall meeting with a counselor once in either my junior or early in my senior year, but she mainly just asked me about future plans. Since I had already chosen my college and was pretty decided on my major, there wasn’t much to say. I think the entire meeting lasted about 10 minutes. And that was my one and only experience with high school guidance counselors. I certainly had nothing to be angry at.

 

[MillauFr]

People are getting fed up with the so called elites and people in power. You are seeing more and more people speaking out. I think it is a good sign. The laundry needs to be aired out.

 

[tcufrog]

Not my child.
Not my school.

I have no opinion.

Although my children's guidance counselors were also totally useless. So I know the feeling.

I never met my high school guidance counselor. I didn't even know where the office was. If we can afford it, we are planning to hire a private college counseling service for DS12. We are switching to a new school district this fall and it's growing rapidly. I have no confidence that they will be able to handle the college counseling load.

 

[tinkerbellandeeyor]

I have zero issue with people burning down the house when they need to, but this just came off like a bad stereotype that would be considered typical of this current generation. It wasn't inspiring at all, it was just a few thank you's and a grudge rant. The office people didn't inform you of a scholarship that existed? I've had two kids gradute from HS and neither of them got updates from the office. So for me that came off as a pretty petty thing to add to your list of gripes in a valedictorian speech. Drunk teacher probably wasn't there as he/she was escorted at a previous date, so she just humiliated someone with a real issue, who was already pretty low. And with the way things are now, everyone is trying to go viral... Not a fan.

I was just telling my dh this kids today want to go viral they have no intrest in getting a job I remember back in the 90s you had to work a lot harder to become famous