P'ton-bound val rips HS as "hollow" in address

Colleges & Universities Princeton University
1

<p>brutal honesty that’s a breath of fresh air, or just plain bad form, given the occasion? you be the judge.</p>

<p><a href=“http://www.cnsnews.com/ViewCampus.asp?Page=/Campus/archive/200606/CAM20060628a.html[/url]”>http://www.cnsnews.com/ViewCampus.asp?Page=/Campus/archive/200606/CAM20060628a.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>The valedictorian of a Blue Ribbon-awarded high school in New Jersey has left teachers and administrators with a sour taste in their mouths after using his June 20 valedictory speech to describe his education as “hollow” and one filled with “countless hours wasted in those halls.”</p>

<p>“I felt like the most important questions were not asked.” said Kareem Elnahal, the top rated student at Mainland Regional High School in Linwood, N.J. “Things like ethics, things that defined who we are, were ignored so in that way I thought it was hollow.” he told Cybercast News Service Wednesday.</p>

<p>Mainland High School was ranked 403rd among the nation’s top 1,200 schools in Newsweek Magazine’s “America’s Best High Schools” report from August 2005.</p>

<p>But at the June 20 commencement, Elnahal told his audience that “the education we have received here is not only incomplete, it is entirely hollow.”</p>

<p>“[It is] grade for the sake of a grade, work for the sake of work.” Elnahal added, according to a transcript of the speech posted on the Press of Atlantic City website. </p>

<p>“Ladies and gentlemen, the spirit of intellectual thought is lost,” Elnahal said. “I know how highly this community values learning, and I urge you all to re-evaluate what it means to be educated,” he concluded before leaving the ceremony without collecting his diploma.</p>

2

<p>I agree with pretty much everything the guy said.</p>

<p>But…making a valedictory speech with those sentiments…perhaps a little combative. But what better time to make a statement? '</p>

<p>He appears a little bitter.</p>

3

<p>“[It is] grade for the sake of a grade, work for the sake of work.” Elnahal added, according to a transcript of the speech posted on the Press of Atlantic City website.</p>

<p>Well then, he’s succeeded at THAT game…</p>

4

<p>Wait, he didn’t get a diploma? Sooooo…he didn’t graduate, technically? How awful, because if he didn’t graduate then he can’t go to Princeton…:(</p>

5

<p>you don’t need to physically possess your diploma to graduate.</p>

6

<p>oh. at my school, if you don’t graduate, you don’t get a diploma (and if you don’t get a diploma, you don’t graduate).</p>

7

<p>^^ same here</p>

8

<p>That’s why you stay away from philosophy. This kid is well read in this context, and actually referrenced many philosoplher in his speech. It makes you question the system itself, even if you are beating the system to no end. Stop asking questions a be gratful for your accomplishments.</p>

9

<p>“Stop asking questions a be gratful for your accomplishments.”</p>

<p>That’s an extremely passive attitude. Why bother to change anything, then? We should just passively accept what is given to us educationally?</p>

10

<p>Bravo Kareem bravo!!! Don’t you just love the cavalier attitude guys?:)</p>

11

<p>Oh yeah ! I’m wowed myself! Another clueless nerd who believes in the “spirit of intellectualism” and that his HS should resemble Hogwarts from his favorite novel series. When is he gonna wake up and realiize that literally no one gives a *****?</p>

<p>Funny ironic detail- the hindu kid was impressed by his classmates positive reaction- basically they clapped b/c they translated his geek rant into “this school sucks!” behind which every hs kid can rally, not because they loved learning and the reading rainbow as much as he.</p>

<p>BTW this kid grows up to be the guy at Wendy’s who also encourages the troops, i.e. “c’mon guys let’s get those Frosties out to the community! our loving manager is counting on us!” while the rest are less naive. I just take much glee in the fact that this kid will waste away his days rotting in a library gaining sacred knowledge probably only useful as trivia for gaining points on Jeopardy.</p>

12

<p>if he’s so dissatisfied with it, why didn’t he ever approach the school board before his LAST DAY? (I know he didn’t) Or do something? Immature.</p>

13

<p>Yeah… it’s passive to wait till the day you GRADAUTE to take a stand against anything… people who try to “shock” everyone in their val speeches kind of annoy me.</p>