Controversy Over Naming Valedictorians

It was with a weary shake of my head that I read “Ending the ‘Best’ of the Brightest” (June 18), the stamping out of the valedictorian. No one is deceived. In spite of the well-intended but misguided efforts to blot out recognition of true academic achievement, people still know who the best and brightest is at their school. I’d like to point out that sports programs honor their all-stars, but they also name one most valuable player as well.

I shall send my children to schools where they can choose to be among a pack of academic achievers, but still reach for the “V” star if they want. I intend to instill in them the emotional security not to attempt suicide if they aren’t named valedictorian, but instead to honor and applaud the recipient.

In a country where we rank low academically among industrialized countries, we’d better take a hard look at our clumsy attempts to be fair and make mediocrity feel good. That’s called complacency, and it serves no one, least of all America’s children.

KARLE DICKERSON

Pasadena

* I am very glad that Lucille Renwick took the time to investigate one of the controversies regarding the valedictorian title. But there is another flaw in the 5.0/4.0 scale that most people never notice. For the past five semesters, I have been an editor of Alhambra High School’s MOOR weekly newspaper. Because the newspaper is a class that gives grades only on a 4.0 scale (no AP or honors credit), I have seen many of my friends drop newspaper. These gifted writers did not drop the class because they did not enjoy writing, or because they would not benefit intellectually; instead, they decided to leave the class because it hurt their GPAs.

A student who has three AP classes and straight A’s would have a 4.5 GPA without counting extra classes, like newspaper. If they take extra classes, they will see their GPA drop more than 0.07 to 4.429, even if they receive an A.

Because there is no solution to the problem which does not eliminate the possibility of personal bias or complicated math equations, I believe that the valedictorian honor is out of date and should be done away with altogether.

EVERETT LAI

Alhambra

* We allow children, our hope for the future, to be taught by the pervasive forces of the media and our own laziness that the only reason to give your best is to be named the best. The only reason to work hard is to make lots of money. This is the unhealthy competition that some people would attempt to eliminate by discontinuing or watering down the honor of being named valedictorian.

Instead, we need to instill in our young people a deeply held belief that working hard and doing their best in school is a key to our nation’s survival, their community’s well-being and their own success. We need to teach them that hard work is not only its own reward but also a necessity. We need to remind them that the future of the world depends on them. We must foster their self-esteem not only by teaching them to accept themselves as they are, but also by helping them to become the best that they can be. And, yes, we do need to recognize both effort and excellence.

The student who achieves the academic summit should be recognized, regardless of how small the difference that separates No. 1 from No. 2.

INA SMITH

Lancaster