Valedictorian Says a Legal Farewell

Re “She’s Almost Too Good to Be True, and to Prove It She’s Going to Sue,” by Hans Allhoff, Commentary, May 7: Unfortunately for Blair Hornstine, everything she has done is now colored by her unwillingness to share. To be the class valedictorian is an honor; however, it is no less an honor when shared with others. Maybe she should realize that this is the first step toward what she’ll be facing at Harvard, where there will be hundreds of other students with her capabilities and accomplishments, even some with greater.

To even allow this lawsuit to proceed is treading on dangerous ground: If a spoiled brat does not like the outcome of a decision made by the adults in her school, she makes the adults/administration get in line by suing them. Sorry, but life is full of seemingly little disappointments (the operative word here is “seemingly”). Blair, get used to it. You’re not always going to get your way, and that’s good.

Sonia Martinez

Santa Monica

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Hornstine earned the right to be the valedictorian of her class. To suggest that she should share that honor with two other students whose “GPAs are only slightly lower than hers” is preposterous. There are winners and there are losers. Perhaps that lesson needs to be learned. Sorry, Mr. Allhoff, but she earned it and she deserves it. A “more sophisticated sense of success” is a silly notion meant only to deny Hornstine the honor she deserves.

Stewart J. Neuville

Los Angeles

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I find it rather paradoxical and laughable that Hornstine could accomplish so many extracurricular activities while being excused from gym class because she allegedly suffers from chronic fatigue syndrome. You wouldn’t know it from reading her list of accomplishments outside the classroom.

I give my vote to the two other students who could share the platform with her. They took gym classes, probably not because they particularly wanted to but because gym is a part of the curriculum.

Chris Rintoul

Glendale