All schools have those people who are smarter and work harder than everyone else, aiming to graduate with the highest school honor there is - valedictorian. Well, that won’t be the case anymore in one school district, which has decided to get rid of the achievement.
The Cherry Creek School District in western Arapahoe County, Colorado, has decided that starting in 2026 their schools will no longer recognize the student with the highest grade point average as valedictorian. According to a newsletter sent to parents, the district no longer finds it an appropriate honor for students.
"The practices of class rank and valedictorian status are outdated and inconsistent with what we know and believe of our students," read the letter. "We believe all students can learn at high levels, and learning is not a competition."
But it’s not that the district won’t recognize their smartest students. While there will no longer be a farewell address by the student with the highest GPA, the district plans to recognize academic achievement in other ways like GPA honor cords at graduation, special award ceremonies and more.
Response to the change has not been positive, with many folks voicing their displeasure.
- "Now everyone gets a trophy and we are eliminating some of the highest honors because it’s not fair to those that don’t earn it?,” one person commented on social media.
- Meanwhile an op-ed from The Denver Post argued, "Cherry Creek schools redefine ‘valedictorian’ as ‘mediocrity.’"
Source: Fox News