<p>...if you were the best and brightest at everything, and you were valedictorian until the last semester of senior year and you got beaten by someone who takes easy classes, sucks up to all the teachers, and does virtually no extra-curricular activities because the system has a faulty weighting pattern for ap classes?</p>
<p>you know for sure (after looking at the situation from a variety of perspectives) that you deserve the position.</p>
<p>i dont want to accept the position of salutatorian. i feel i dont deserve it and it would be a slap in the face for all of the reputation-boosting i have given the school throughout my career. i plan to attend the next school board meeting to explain my situation (wihtout direct reference) and propose that we stop ranking students.</p>
<p>the principal found out about this and pleaded with me not to, saying that he doesn't want me to give up the recognition i deserve for my hard work. i told him that people already know who i am and everything that i do, and that i refuse to associate myself with the corrupt system and become an advocate for it by accepting the position when i, the administration, and the cop-out who beat me know exactly what was going on. </p>
<p>i also said i would not speak at graduation and would not take on any of the traditional salutatorian duties, telling them that they can pass the position to the kid who is #3. </p>
<p>i don't know if i'm doing the right thing. i feel very very strongly about this, and i don't know how i would feel if i just let this go as if everything were ok, like they want me to. they say that for years they have been in the process of changing/finding a new system. i am thinking that maybe i will accept the position only after i receive written verification that this system will not be used next year. i want to make a mark somehow to end this ridiculousness.</p>
<p>don't cut off your nose to spite your face-- accept sal. anyone who has any sense will know that this kid doesn't deserve it, but make the speech, do the duties, suck it up, and know that everyone is on your side.</p>
<p>Wow. Being named salutatorian isn't an offer - it's an honor. You wouldn't write a letter to NMSC rejecting your honor as a semifinalist because you think you should be a finalist, would you? To do so would be incredibly pretentious. Valedictorian/salutatorian is based SOLELY on your grades/GPA/however else your school does it. It's not a measure of your character or in any way similar to college admissions. It's totally based on numbers.</p>
<p>It's fine to argue against the system, but not to do so in response to not being ranked #1. Get over it and move on. One of the most amazing people I will probably ever meet is ranked #2 in my school, and she's going to Harvard next year. #1 isn't anywhere near that. But it's based solely on their grades/courses, not upon their EC's, leadership positions, community service, jobs, or essays.</p>
<p>You can't retroactively accuse the system of following its own rules. Just fight to change the system in the future.</p>
<p>accept it-in real life you will face much more complex and unfair situations. if you place principles above all, you'll likely end up dead, seriously</p>
<p>I would reject.
I would stick by my beliefs and morals.
A stupid position that the school administration throws around is not worth sacrificing who I am.</p>
<p>Being salutatorian is a great achievement. Many a student would do anything to get this opportunity. Don't give it up. I see the reasoning of why you would complain, but I don't see how you giving up your spot would do anything. Person #3 has a greater loss because he/she missed the title by one.</p>
<p>Gracefully accept it, everyone will remember you a lot more appreciatively than if you make a huge deal about it. I realize it is a pretty big deal, but life sucks sometimes.</p>
<p>does it matter anymore? in a couple of months, you'll be starting new all over again. sure the system is corrupt...well i think the entire education system is messed up...that doesnt mean im going to refuse to take the necessary classes/tests. hey and dont just think about yourself either. maybe some of the underclassmen want the ranking system to continue. if you go to the school board, it'll make yourself look bad. like you did all this stuff in high school just to get recognition/awards. sure you're brilliant. and everyone knows it. things arent always going to go the way you want it to...</p>
<p>by saying you'd be willing to reject being salutatorian also shows that it's not that important to you. how many people are dying to be salutatorian? you get the chance and you're willing to throw it away just cuz you're not valedictorian? just accept it</p>
<p>as long as you know truthfully that you deserve to be valedictorian and the other person just a faker. As long as your friends and family believed in you then you shouldn't worry too much. Just accept it and move on. It's a great honor to be at the top you know. Good job.</p>
<p>accept it. just.. do it. lol. don't create drama.. it comes off as a bit immature and arrogant. we all know the system sucks. </p>
<p>valedictorian recognition is for people who get all a's right.. at least.. it is at my school. those can be easy a's or hard ones. it doesn't matter. yes, it sucks, a lot of "stupid" people get more recognition than those who worked hard, took some risks, and got a B.. but.. that's just how it goes because valedictorian is valedictorian.. and if you mess it up the last semester of senior year and someone else comes out ahead because of the rules of the system.. well.. then you're not valedictorian. lol. i'm sure people will see that the name isn't that great because the system is also.. not that great.. don't worry =) everyone knows you're brilliant and great.. statuses dont matter much.. people will remember you for who you are.. and hopefully that's not as .. the person who couldn't just accept salutatorian and tried to change the system to benefit themselves.. .. it doesn't look good.</p>
<p>The way that you proposed your situation and your hypothetical confrontation of the school board is a bit iffy, and I'd tend to side with the people above me.</p>
<p>BUT if you want to change to an argument that did not include you at all, but focused on the actual weightings of the courses (proposing a system that took into account the actual challenging courses - perhaps weighting AP higher or whatever.) You can find evidence from other counties who are using this system, get some quotes from college representatives who say AP's are more challenging than honors courses, etc.</p>
<p>What you need to do, though, is not to add in any personal anecdotes about your situation, just focus on it empirically - with data. If you don't approach it this way the board will just see it as a whiny teenager upset at not achieving valedictorian.</p>
<p>I also want to note that this will not affect your situation at all - you will be salutatorian (because we all know that school boards act as slow as turtles). But if you are intent on your principles as you seem to promote, this would be a perfect way to help out a person who may be in your situation next year or the year after - you will leave a legacy that shows how someone sticking up for their principles can make a difference.</p>
<p>I would accept salutatorian. Every college on the planet will see that the other kid has no ECs and takes easy classes. You'll still end up on top.......!</p>
<p>sjones, i hate people like you who cry about getting salutorian "because someone took easy classes and beat me!!!" get over it, realize that life isnt always fair and dont try to act like ur above your school and the valedictorian for protesting this.</p>
<p>Why should anyone care what ranking they get in high school? Isn't your college acceptance enough? Get over HS, you have four, possibly as many as 10 years of hell ahead of you. Get through that and you might get a job, but with the way you are acting you would not go anywhere.</p>