Too skinny to be valedictorian

“E-MAIL STORY PRINTER FRIENDLY FOXFAN CENTRAL
Valedictorian Status Denied to Student Who Fought Anorexia
Tuesday, May 17, 2005

HOUSTON — A high school senior who was denied the honor of valedictorian because of absences due to anorexia (search) accepted an honorary title Tuesday.

Karen Scherr, 18, who maintained straight A's through high school, was ineligible to be valedictorian at Kingwood High School (search) because she missed the first six weeks of school during her junior year. She was hospitalized because of the eating disorder at the time.

But she caught up on her work and maintained her No. 1 ranking.

School officials told Scherr and her family Monday that the honorary valedictorian (search) title would be their best offer, district spokeswoman Karen Collier said.

A student must be enrolled on the 20th day of his or her junior year to be eligible to become valedictorian, according to school policy. Changing the policy retroactively would be unfair to other students, the district said.

The honorary title will allow Scherr to speak at the May 27 graduation. The district will also place her picture on the school's "Wall of Honor," with the official valedictorian, Alex Gorham. His GPA is 0.07 points lower.






What a bunch of crap. She should have gotten it.”

“I was valedictorian, but didn't get to speak at graduation. They had a speech contect and all the thespians won. It sucked. Their speeches weren't that good.

But I'm not bitter.”

“Most likely She pissed someone in the administration off, or someone just did not like her. Also the guy who got it could have been a "teachers pet".

This sucks She should have gotten it.”

“i know how she feels. i was too dumb to be valthedicktorian”

“Perhaps I'll come back to this thread. I need to collect my thoughts on the subject.”

“I don't understand why a student needs to be enrolled in a school their junior year to be the valedictorian of the senior class. Doesn't make sense.”

“Or specifically why on the 20th day of the junior year, since she was obviously enrolled the prior 2 years, and the year after, and for 90% of the junior year.

Another argument is that she was enrolled on the 20th day of her junior year, but was out sick.”