There are universities in Michigan that provide scholarships specifically to valedictorians and salutatorians. I would hate for our students to be denied the opportunity for college assistance because the school board decided competition for these designations was too heated. Competition exists in the working world as well and this is simply another way we prepare students for the real world. To me, this is akin to letting everyone win at a game so no feelings get hurt. I am all for students working toward their personal best, but for some of our high academic achievers, these designations are something higher to strive for.

Life is competition. Fierce competition among students is a great training-for-life exercise. I say KEEP the valedictorian/salutatorian designations as long as they are used to recognize valid, honest achievement. Students found to be cheating or acting dishonorably should be disqualified immediately without a second chance. If the valedictorian/salutatorian designations ever degenerate into some kind of ethnic, diversity, community-service, or other non-competitive "fairness" award, then ABOLISH them. We already have enough of that kind of garbage.

Keep them. There is really no good reason to abolish them except for what the out-of-touch board feels is keen competition. (and isn't that a good thing? When did fierce competition become unseemly? Geez.) Our school board seems to be constantly working toward the further "dumbing down" of our system...remember just recently when they discussed making the minimum GPA LESS THAN a 2.0 to participate in sports? When my son graduated from Edsel Ford, the valedictorian was a wonderfully inspiring young man who came to this country as a non-English speaking immigrant in the fourth grade. He gave a great speech. All other Honor students are recognized with the "bling" they get to wear at graduation, they are feted at honors programs at their individual schools and district wide at the superintendent's honors program and at Honor Society functions. Cheating is a separate issue.

xxx

Why not have the Valedictorian, Salutorian and the college Cum Laude recognitions? Life is one huge challenge and those who work hard should get recognized. However, this whole mentality of making "everyone a winner" is not helping the next generation realize they need to put forth great effort to obtain great results.

The Board needs to stay focused on the real topic. A student caught cheating should not be honored as class valedictorian and certainly should not be presenting a commencement speech to fellow students/graduates/parents/etc. What are we promoting? That it is okay to cheat because the school will look the other way? Is it that difficult to stop cheating if teachers do their jobs? Let’s stop settling for mediocrity! Let’s focus on the real issue and prevent cheaters from being “winners”. Honest, hard-working students deserve a chance to become class valedictorian/salutatorian. There needs to be consequences for the cheaters.

The schools need to do a better job when recognizing academic excellence. Some facts for other parents out there: a student’s GPA after semester one of their senior year is used for the honors earned on graduation night. Not fair. This can mean that a student can be honored as a 3.7-3.89 student and marches on commencement night wearing a silver cord when they actually should be wearing a gold cord and be recognized as a 3.9+ student (the last semester of high school can make a difference…I know since this happened to two of my children). Come on Dearborn High…order a few extra cords and print the commencement and honor’s night programs once all the grades are submitted! Again, mediocrity!

Stop the cheating. Keep the awards and recognition going for students who have earned them but do it with integrity and fairness!

ABSOLUTELY NOT! Let it be..Can't you work on something that needs more attention then that!!!! Please!

Frankly, its just silly that this is even on the table.

From this morning's Free Press on school not challenging half of students:

http://www.freep.com/article/20120710/NEWS07/120710014/School-is-too-easy-students-report?odyssey=tab%7Ctopnews%7Ctext%7CFRONTPAGE

What's the point of valedictorian/salutatorian when school is just too easy?

With all the problems faceing our district and budget cut we should not have time to even bring such nonsense to the table.The old saying if it not broke why fix it ,leave it be.

With all the problems faceing our district and budget cut we should not have time to even bring such nonsense to the table.The old saying if it not broke why fix it ,leave it be.

Why is it that our school board is even considering this? Why should the dishonest few spoil it for the honest and high achieving students? What kind of message are we sending our students? Why should the high achiever be punished? Those students found to be academically dishonest should be required to repeat the course and be disqualified from receiving any scholarships. And if this means not graduating and going to summer school, so be it. Any student found to be acedemically dishonest should not graduate until they repeat the course. The statement in the article impies that they will graduate but not graduate with recognition of excellence. They don't graduate period because they did not earn the grade. Elimination of this program only make the job easier for the school board. They don't have to confront the dishonest student. Is this a result of the no child left behind policy?

Everybody gets a trophy!

Staci has it right. Make them all 'winners'. Anyone with a GPA of 3.5 or higher would be a Co -Valdictorian. 3.0 to 3.49 are your co-Salutorians.

It is all relative anyway. Does anyone honestly believe that a valdictorian in the Detroit School system is equal to one in the Dearborn school system? Each system has different levels of 'expectations'. An example is a hockey league with A, B, C, and D level teams. Relative? The winners or valdictorians of the D level are technically 'the best of the worst' in the hockey league. The colleges recognize this detail and base entrance on the basis of ACT and SAT scores, and of course GPA averages. A high SAT score will get you in to most schools dispite a low GPA.
So, to be really fair, make the Valdictorian the one with the highest combined SAT and ACT scores at the High School. That eliminates the 'cheating ' aspect. The highest score wins. Besides, GPA has lost of luster when you can get a 4.0 in gym class just for dressing and showing up for gym, and sitting in the bleachers.

This is in response to something that I believe happened at Dearborn High this year with either the valedictorian or salutatorian being caught cheating. (If someone could please verify, I would appreciate it.) As usual the district couldn't deal with the real problem for fear of making some people upset, so they decide it's better not to have valedictorians or salutatorians at all. It's funny that this is the same district that proclaims it is developing an academic integrity policy to fight off cheating, but then turns a blind eye and condones cheating because it is done by someone with good grades. We wouldn't want to upset their parents by doing the right thing and not allowing the student to represent their class; they may make an issue out of it. What message do you believe this is sending to students; especially those at DHS?

Please read the quote below and ponder where DPS stands on any important issue?

“Those who stand for nothing fall for anything.” Alexander Hamilton

The district also has secretly held all high school principals accountable to attain failure rates at 10% or less, so look for the value of an education in Dearborn drop as everyone begins receiving a free pass, in order for administrators to keep their jobs and make the graduation rate appear higher than what it actually should be. As soon as the students catch on to this policy, they will realize that they can pass regardless of how many absences they have or how much trouble they cause in the classroom.

These DPS Administrators at Central Office sure are doing a good job!

Life really isn't about competition. It's become pretty apparent over the last 20 or so years that life is about electing yourself the most free benefits from the national treasury. We stopped "competing" a long time ago. One half of the population is "competing" to hold on to the money they earned and the other half is "competing" to take it away from them.

Kids who work hard should be rewarded.

How come the district isn't asking students on their opinion? Instead they just ask the envious parents whether or not their kids deserve the same award as someone who has worked harder than them. Removing this award will take away one of the few remaining incentives to work hard in the public school system.

Satin, those kids who work hard also will learn that, later in life, the harder you work, the more you earn, and the more the government takes out of your pocket.

Their 'reward' is knowing that they are working hard so others, not as inspired by the work ethic, can do their thing too.

Anyone know a 'Valdictorian' on welfare?

Looking ahead has seen the light.

But aren't these kids chosen not only for their grades but their public service? Shouldn't students be each other's role models?

I know a lot of peole that are book read and very smart..But no COMMON SENSE..put them in a stressfull situation and they can't figure it out..So Mr. Lee it's not all black & White like you think...Think again Mr. Lee I know you will!!!!!

Marium, you are right, give me someone covering my back with common sense over top GPA any day. Examples are everywhere, even in the movies , ie Forrest Gump.

More common are incredibly bright folks, Mensa material, that have the smarts and common sense, but no drive, or ambition to do anything. These are the types that will spend a day to counterfeit several one dollar bills to leave in a tip jar. How smart is that?
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/04/08/counterfeit-1-bills-reces_n_529951.html

They have been known to be some of the smartest people in the world..I could name several but you probably already know....It's not about the game it's how you played it...and that takes more then Mensa Material...If your human somewhere you will fall and brains,Mensa material,or Valadictorians will not matter...Let the top enjoy for what they worked so hard to achieve..If you want to be there you can to..Not all are focused in life to be that honored in our scholastic ability...When you want the gold that bad you will go for it. And you have every right to be rewarded

Great comments by all of you. We should all be proud to celebrate hard work and good grades.
How many of you were valadictorians in your high school?

Here we go again. Making decisions for our students, many of whom are directly impacted by this discussion and have a better grasp of what these designations mean to them. Please, include the students in these decisions. After all, it's their futures that are affected by these decisions. If they're bright enough to deserve recognition, chances are they're smart enough to voice their concerns to the board's deliberations. As a volunteer who spent years working with and supporting youth in the police department's Law Enforcement Explorer program, I can attest to the dedication our youth, including area students, displayed when they're asked to participate in the administration of the programs for which they have an interest. Why not mail out a well-developed survey to past students who have attained these honors and ask their opinions.

Ken's right! As a YMCA camp counselor, teaching and living with young kids (8-11) the basics of shooting , boating , camping, strategy, table manners, keeping the cabin clean, the meaning of God and country, songs, stories, etc, for weeks at a time, it was clearly evident (in my opinion) that some kids were the 'cream of the crop', the leaders, the future salutorians, and valdictorians so to speak. Their input was valuable then at a young age, and should be now, as young adults.
Let them have a say in the decision.

These postings in response to this article are lively and interesting despite some of them introducing opinion clothed in personal observations and presumptively offerred as evidence that transforms a belief into a fact. But let me state clearly and emphatically that the Salutatorian of the Dearborn High School 2012 graduating class never, EVER, cheated on an exam, homework or any other classwork she ever completed. In fact she took it on the chin with a B in a college calculus course last year rather than be seduced by the desire to take a shortcut like cheating. Amanda Amen staunchly adhered to her values of academic integrity despite knowing it would put her .014 of one gpa point behind one who showed a total disregard for academic integrity. The DHS Administrator CHOSE to not support the principle of academic integrity being absolutely required of ANYONE receiving ANY Dearborn Schools recognition of academic excellence or being presented to students and community as a model of excellence expected of Dearborn students. Despite this abject failure of the Dearborn Schools ADMINISTRATION to safeguard the integrity of its system of academic merit the Salutatorian, because of her strength of character, received a standing ovation from the FAC ULTY and named a Hodson Scholar by Johns Hopkins U., a Presidential Scholar at WSU, a Lux and Social Justice Scholar at Kalamazoo Coll., AND a joint Rodriquez and Ervin Scholar at Washington U. in St. Louis - awards of over $600,000!

We need some affirmative action on the male side for valdictorians and salutorians as it appears, at least over the past several years, that females are taking over all the top spots. See here.
http://mothering21.com/2011/05/16/you-go-girlbut-what-about-the-guys/
Perhaps a valdictorian and salutorian for each gender to make things 'fair'? The rich are expected to give to the poor since it is only fair as they have more to give, makes sense to dumb down the standards a bit, call it affirmative action, see here
http://highbrowmagazine.com/1207-why-affirmative-action-necessary-higher-education
so we can have equal and fair amounts of male and female valdictorians and salutorians. What about the grade point average? With affirmative action, in this situation males are considered the minorities, and need such action to even out the GPA playing field again, simple enough, just add a .5 to all male's grades, and they will then be equal and 'fair' with the females grades. Of course it is outlandish, but so is letting in lower qualified GPA applicants to schools just because of their nationality.

A point in the discussion about whether the School Board should abolish valedictorian and salutatorian recognitions is that this consideration came up "amid policy changes to its academic dishonesty policy". Arguably the two are not completely separate issues in that one is dependent on the other. That is ANY recognition of academic excellence, honors designation or privileges of student leadership SHOULD be premised on adherence to a standard of honesty and academic integrity. It seems that comments herein strongly support that ideal. The Dearborn Administration failed by totally separating them based on a standard stated by the administrator that getting caught cheating "is really no big deal" and shouldn't affect academic recognition. Many students adhere to a standard of academic integrity, don't cheat, and excel academically. Their willingness to risk taking difficult classes, such as Honors and AP Courses or college courses and who by necessity work harder than is required of other students who don't, should be recognized. We award letters, trophies, plaudits and privileges to athletes, debaters, and others who compete ferociously! Yet the Board says academic competition is too much pressure for our top students who (see above) are courted by world-class colleges and universities. This debacle put pressure on the Board to deal with who broke the system. Abolishing it is avoidance of the kind of moral decsion-making we are trying to teach our children.

ThirdGen Dearborn,
Excuse me but I really cannot understand why you feel the need to put down others when you feebly attempt to argue your case. It's funny that you try to make a point in relevance to the article but then proceed to insult the one person that put her entire all into her school, classwork, and community. My advice to you is to get a life and be proud of Miss Amen for becoming Salutatorian and stop being bitter towards the Valedictorian for winning. It's over. Let ME state that the Valedictorian of Dearborn High School not only got an A in HER AP calculus course, but also received a 5 on the AP exam. She became an AP Scholar with Distinction her JUNIOR year, got accepted into Harvard Summer School where she took Neurobiology and received an A, was named one of channel 7's Brightest and Best, is starting her own non-profit organization, and was voted class president and raised over $40,000 for her school. To top is all off, she actually received a cumulative GPA of 4.54, the highest in DHS HISTORY. This woman is brilliant, driven, and "adheres to a standard of honesty and academic integrity", as you mentioned. I am disappointed in anyone who doubts her abilities, which will soon be proven in her bright future. I urge you to put this hatred aside. These girls graduated. All you're doing is performing cyber-bullying, creating rumors THAT AREN'T TRUE, and hurting others.

Isn't the whole purpose of the valedictorian/salutatorian designations to recognize academic excellence? Why would that be a bad thing? Are we next going to eliminate the winner at each cross country meet and simply recognize the top 10 runners as "running really fast?" Or perhaps we could award medals at swim meets for "not drowning." Or give out awards for "singing partially on key" at the state choir festival. It's just a simple fact that at the end of eight semesters of high school (and I do believe that it is 8, and not 7, semesters -- this was changed a couple of years ago), someone has to have the highest GPA. Everyone has the same opportunities to get there, be it AP classes, dual enrollment classes, honors classes, co-op classes, etc. To recognize the top two individuals at the end of their high school careers is not a bad thing -- if anything, you could argue that it pushes all of our top kids to be the best.
The issue of cheating is a murky one at best -- I've read where 90% of high school students admit they have cheated at some point in their career. But if a kid cheats, is it that hard just to give them a 0? If that lowers their grades and makes them not the valedictorian or salutatorian or whatever, tough -- that's called a consequence. I don't understand why if there is clear-cut cheating in a class or on a test, there isn't a clear-cut way to deal with it.

Cum Laude and Summa Cum Laude are designated recognitions of academic excellence that are not necessarily intended to supplant the honorifics, valedictorian and salutatorian. They should be treated as additions to these honorifics, not in place of them and can be of great value for our students who apply to the highly selective and highly competitive institutions of higher education.

Awards for academic excellence are incentives for students to perform. Those who choose to excell are rewarded by titles such as valedictorian, salutatorian, Cum Laude, Magna Cum Laude and other such designations. They are awards that promote scholarships and other financial goals for student achievement. But, any student who violates the code for cheating, including plagiarism in high school, should be excluded from these rewards and the NHS.