Student named co-valedictorian because he’s white.
via Blacking it up
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by Dawn Summers on Wednesday, July 27th, 2011 at 11:40 am and is filed under Wacky.
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July 27th, 2011 at 12:12 pm
“the school’s principal, Darrell Thompson, appointed a white student with a lower grade point average as co-valedictorian to avoid a “big mess” at the majority white school.”
Um, what the wha?
Surely there’s more to this? Surely?
July 27th, 2011 at 12:14 pm
Nope. Just the racism.
July 27th, 2011 at 12:15 pm
President Obama should invite all the valedictorians in the country to the White House and when that white kid shows up, he should be all “No…sorry you’re just a co-valedictorian.”
July 27th, 2011 at 12:25 pm
Well, to be fair, after reading some more articles about it, I hear that the principal’s explanation is that the white boy’s scores were really really close to the black girl’s. Like, within .03 or .05 grade points. It makes much more sense to me now. Scores that close, I mean, you can’t really say there’s a “first” or “second” place. Like at the Olympics, man. When they give out the co-gold medals when the times are just a few tenths of a second apart.
I mean, that’s how it works, right?
July 27th, 2011 at 12:30 pm
Oh, well if he was really really really close to almost being tied then I can totally…nope, still racist.
July 27th, 2011 at 2:40 pm
Yep.
July 27th, 2011 at 4:17 pm
I am just so glad this didn’t happen in Texas.
July 27th, 2011 at 4:25 pm
LOL, and Pearatty’s happy it didn’t happen in Arizona.
July 27th, 2011 at 4:34 pm
She should sue her mom for naming her Kymberly Wimberly.
I think she will probably lose the case though, based on what I’ve read. They school system can make a good argument based on the handbook policy. It’s a shame, because if the situation were revered, there is no way they would have given co-val status to Kym. Though I think it has more to due with being a teen mom than being black, though there is probably some racial element to it as well.
July 27th, 2011 at 4:36 pm
What I really wished happened was the white co-val declining the honor, or using the valedictorian speech to call out the administration on it. That’s what I would have done.
July 27th, 2011 at 7:31 pm
She should be thankful! Otherwise nobody would remember she was valedictorian.
(What? Do you remember YOUR valedictorian? I don’t, and I was in the Top 10 of my graduating class of 300ish).
July 27th, 2011 at 7:50 pm
1. Where is the Like button for VinNay’s comment on what he would have done?
2. Kudos to F-Train for so subtly bringing it back to be all about him. Well played.
July 27th, 2011 at 8:25 pm
I couldn’t swear I was even in the top half of my high school class of 1000-ish, and yet I went to the same law school as F-Train.
What does that say about the wisdom of how we spent our time in high school?
Agreed about liking VinNay’s comment. Wondering if that’s what VinNay really would have done when he was 17 or 18, or if that’s what he would do now. It’s a lot to ask of a teenager to be that big — but he totally would be the hero of that story now if he had.
July 27th, 2011 at 8:26 pm
Hmm, I note that when I do the “colon, P” emoticon, it makes a smiley face, rather than a tounge sticking out face. I intended a tounge sticking out face, although the smiling face is not entirely wrong, there.
July 28th, 2011 at 3:18 am
I’m not trying to toot my own horn, but I was a pretty awesome 17 teen year old as far as this type of thing went. I have stories to tell, but they sound like bragging, which at this point in my life, they are. So I will refrain.
Unless gently nudged.
July 28th, 2011 at 7:54 am
Were you good at waking up at 17? Cause you know what you’re not good at at 40? Waking up.
July 28th, 2011 at 5:31 pm
VinNay:
Nudge.
July 28th, 2011 at 5:31 pm
I’m 37!!!!
July 28th, 2011 at 5:46 pm
Wasn’t making anything about me at all. Was making a point about the uselessness of valedictorian and how, even those who have a shot at it don’t remember it. So certainly nobody else will.
You make one comment, one time, to support a point and people start taking shots at you. So silly.
July 28th, 2011 at 7:09 pm
Aw, your point was clear; we’re just teasing. You make it so fun.
And agreed, the girl will get a whole lot more mileage out of “I was the girl who had to fight the system to get my title”, than “I was best of the podunks in Podunk-Town”. Besides, I can’t name one Miss America other than Vanessa Williams. Clearly, if you’re black, you’re better off having your title taken from you. The principal was doing that girl a favor!