[Hornstine, who said she plans to become a lawyer,
seeks $500,000 in compensatory and $2 million in punitive damages, as well as** legal fees and costs**.
Her daddy, who is a Federal Judge…]
___$$$$$$$
Forget debate. Instead ask this…
How many of the laws passed by all state and federal legislatures last year were passed by* lawyers**?
How many of the judgements handed down in all state and federal courts last year were given by* lawyers** in robes?
*No futher questions.
One thing I found disturbing was how angry the judge was. He was basically disgusted that the school would ever consider not giving her sole possession of the title. I’m not sure why he didn’t see a how being homeschooled and excempt from certain classes, and being able to take classes that others couldn’t take would give someone an advantage.
Seeing that her dad is also a judge, I’m thinking a little behind-the-scenes deal-making was made.
.
Right down the road from me. My first reaction upon reading the story was “Thank god that’s not in Cherry Hill.”
We get a lot of things like this. At my school, GPAs for the top 5 or so in the class are calculated to rediculous lengths. The competition is insane.
My question: what ‘damages’ is she suing for? Needing to share? Because I was under the impression that that was taught in, say, kindergarten.
What’ll eventually happen is probably that the school will stop recognizing the valedictorian. My old high school was sued in the mid 80’s because someone miessed being valedictorian by a few hundredths of a grade point. The school said “Fuck it.” (well, not really) and no longer recognizes a valedictorian.
When she’s 50 she’ll publish a book on how her parents ruled and ruined her life.
While the legislature attracts many lawyers, many legislators aren’t lawyers but rather business people, business owners or farmers. The laws aren’t passed by lawyers alone, though the research departments are heavy on lawyers. My state senator and representative are women who aren’t attorneys. State legislatures don’t pay a ton of money and the people who run for office are dedicated to their jobs but most have a second job for the time the legislature is not in session.
Each state comes up with its own requirements for judges; judges apply the law to the case, therefore it makes sense to require that a judge first be a lawyer. Non-lawyers aren’t in as good a position to apply the law; therefore their decisions are more in danger of reversal.
there’s an “r” in “further.”
Beat mes, Whack. You did notice, did you not, that I made the comment, “in her view” in my post?
Beats me. Again, I said “in her view.” Apparently, no longer being the sole “king/queen of the hill” in her class seems to have been introducing an unfairness into it.
I’ve always considered the whole thing to be bunk. For one thing, not all students take the same classes; therefore, the “mathematical aberration” is still there.
Someone alert the Lampoon! I hope she doesn’t expect anybody at Hahvahd to be impressed by that Valedictorian title. I imagine they’ve had one or two of those matriculate there.:dubious:
Shoot, I missed being valedictorian in my elementary school by .1 on the reading test.
You don’t hear me cry or file a lawsuit about it.
Well in a way it was good since at the time I was a good talker.
was not a good talker.
It will be interesting to hear what happens during her high school graduation ceremony…I can imagine a few of the parents of other students might be a bit upset.
I dunno…she sounds like Harvard material to me.
Bizzwire
who graduated from “that trade school” down the river from Harvard.
Colleges may don’t weight their classes, but they can weight the HS classes when comparing GPA’s for admissions. University of Florida does that, re-weighing the applicant’s GPA.
I imagine her parents must have put her up to this . . . hard to imagine that a teenager would be willing to take that kind of a hit to her popularity.
Anyway, I agree it’s kinda mean-spirited for her to take away the title from a co-student, especially under the circumstances.
Also, it’s a shame when special accomodations turn into an advantage.
I think parents who sue school systems for this are the absolute scum of the Earth.
A number of things come to mind:
First, why didn’t the Judge mediate the gym class out of the mix. The School could also provide a substitute “honors” gym class as a compromise.
2nd, being king-of-the-Hill doesn’t mean much if everyone knows you cheated/sued your way to the top. Given the power of the Internet, her “success” will be documented forever. Peer pressure will follow her wherever she goes.
3rd, If I were the school, I would make up a new award and call it social-dictorian and give it to all the students who DIDN’T sue the school. I would give that award first, and then finally announce the Valedictorian who would probably be speaking to an empty room at that point. I would also type up any award for Valedictorian on a blank sheet of paper using a 1950’s typewriter with a bad ribbon. It would have the student’s name, year of graduation, award title and name of school. I would then roll it up and stick it in a cigar tube for presentation, (serenity now, serenity now, serenity now).
At every high school I’ve known of including my own, the valedictorian was selected by an election of the graduating class.
Frankly, this nasty little peice of work would be best served by having her “Classmates” boo her during her speech. I know I would. It amazes me someone would have the insensitivity to even WANT to be valedictorian and speak on behalf of a class she does not belong to.
Well, gee Milum,
judges who were lawyers, who’d a thunk it? :smack:
I graduated 3rd in my class last year, behind the co-valedictorians. My school was on a block schedule of 4 class per day, four quarters per year. We also had an unweighted GPA system. An ‘A’ in strength training had the same effect as an ‘A’ in AP calculus. I happened to get an ‘A-’ in a wood shop class my freshman year which resulted in me being third. I took honors classes all through high school, while one of the valedictorians took only about half of the honors courses offered. Had my school used a weighted scale I would’ve been (co-)valedictorian. Sure, I was a little disappointed, but I really didn’t think it was that big of a deal. I got into the school I wanted, and I really didn’t want to write a speech anyway. 
Dragonstar sez: The laws aren’t passed by lawyers alone, though the research departments are heavy on lawyers… State legislatures don’t pay a ton of money and the people who run for office are dedicated to their jobs but most have a second job for the time the legislature is not in session.
Ah, now I get it! The 4000 or so attorneys that are in state legislatures today (What an unpleasant thought) serve sorta pro bono. What sacrifice! What altruism! The forgoance of a ton of money to serve we the people!
Judges apply the law to the case, therefore it makes sense to require that a judge first be a lawyer. Non-lawyers aren’t in as good a position to apply the law; therefore their decisions are more in danger of reversal.
I don’t ask much. But think a bit about what you wrote. Do you really want your life in the hands of an ole boy’s network of lawyers?
Further, there’s an “r” in “further.”
So sue me.
Then 5 time champ chimed in and said:* Well, gee Milum,
judges who were lawyers, who’d a thunk it? *
Well 5 time, John Stuart Mill didn’t thunk it. He said words to this effect…
The laws of a free society must be made clear and simple so that they can be clearly understood by even the least of those who are governened, otherwise the republic will be ruled by the interperters of these laws and the rule of majority will be lost.
(I think it was John Stuart Mill…maybe it was Jefferson.) 