<p>I want to start off by saying that I don't want to come off as arrogant or rude; I'm just really upset right now. I am the valedictorian of my class, and I have been preparing a speech for months. By months, I mean that I started writing it in December. </p>
<p>I had an idea for the perfect opening for my speech, and I had it rehearsed perfectly. I submitted it to the teacher in charge, and she said I couldn't use my opening because the Class President had the same opening in her speech and since the class president speaks first during Graduation, I would have to remove it from my speech.</p>
<p>Having just found this out (with graduation approaching on Saturday), I am more than upset. I feel that valedictorian is a title that has culminated from my 4 years of hard work, tears, and physical turmoil. Class president is a one-year position that you are elected to and guaranteed for the rest of the year. I feel like the class president holds more "value" over the valedictorian since my speech is the one that is being affected. </p>
<p>I don't want to sound rude, but should I email the teacher and ask her if I could do the opening instead since I had been planning it for months?</p>
<p>Nope!!
Class president was elected by his/her peers.</p>
<p>Given that two of you came up with the same opening for your speeches - apparently it wasn’t all that clever. And you will come off poorly doing the exact same “clever” opening that a prior speaker just used. </p>
<p>Your teacher is HELPING you by notifying you of the duplication so that you have the OPPORTUNITY to modify!</p>
<p>And as far as “fairness” about this, you both earned your honorary positions, and neither is more valuable than the other. But the class president apparently got their speech to the teacher in charge first. </p>
<p>Time to graciously accept this and come up with a new opening line.</p>
<p>The opening is actually pretty clever and is something that hasn’t been done before. It’s something that sums up our entire generation. If the opening was unoriginal and a failed attempt at trying to be clever, I would have no problem in changing my speech. </p>
<p>I understand that the teacher is trying to make sure we both don’t say the same thing, but I feel like she favors the class president because the teacher is the sponsor for the class officers. I personally don’t know this teacher, while the class president knows her very well. </p>
<p>I was told to submit my speech on Monday, today. I submitted it at 12:30 AM today, so I feel that regardless of whoever turned their speech in first, I would still be told to change my opening.</p>
<p>omg this exact thing happened to me but it happened when he gave the speech. I was so mad and when i got up i just said that my line was stolen (but jokingly)</p>
<p>I think I completely overreacted. I was just really overwhelmed, but I’m sure I’ll find another way to begin my speech :)</p>
<p>That is a great attitude @perfectionist27<br>
Give a great speech, enjoy your graduation and all the congratulations you’ve earned with that valedictorian spot.</p>