Black Student Can't Be Valedictorian

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PINE BLUFF, Ark. (AR) - A high school southeast of Little Rock would not let a black student be valedictorian though she had the highest grade-point average, and wouldn't let her mom speak to the school board about it until graduation had passed, the graduate claims in Federal Court.

Kymberly Wimberly, 18, got only a single B in her 4 years at McGehee Secondary School, and loaded up on Honors and Advanced Placement classes. She had the highest G.P.A. and says the school's refusal to let her be sole valedictorian was part of a pattern of discrimination against black students.

Wimberly says that despite earning the highest G.P.A. of the Class of 2011, and being informed of it by a school counselor, "school administrators and personnel treated two other white students as heir apparent to the valedictorian and salutatorian spots."

Wimberly's mother is the school's "certified media specialist." She says in the federal discrimination complaint that after her daughter had been told she would be valedictorian, the mother heard "in the copy room that same day, other school personnel expressed concern that Wimberly's status as valedictorian might cause a 'big mess.'"

McGehee Secondary School is predominantly white, and 46 percent African-American, according to the complaint. Bratton says that the day after she heard the "big mess" comment, McGehee Principal Darrell Thompson, a defendant, told her "that he decided to name a white student as co-valedictorian," although the white student had a lower G.P.A.

Bratton says she tried to protest the decision to the school board, but defendant Superintendent Thomas Gathen would not let her speak, because she allegedly had "filled out the wrong form. Instead of 'public comments,' Gather [sic] said Bratton should have asked for 'public participation.'" The superintendent told her she could not appeal his decision until the June 28 school board meeting; graduation was May 13.

(The superintendent's name is spelled Gathen in the heading of the complaint, but is spelled Gather throughout the body of it.)

The last African-American valedictorian in McGehee School District was in 1989. Wimberly says the school discourages black students from taking honors and advanced placement classes, "by telling them, among other things, that the work was too hard."

"Because of defendants' continuous disparate treatment of African-American students, defendants' actions toward the plaintiff can properly be classed as intentional," the complaint states.

"Defendants did not support African-American students, and did not want to see Wimberly, an African-American young mother as valedictorian.

"But for Wimberly's race, defendants would not have selected a student with a lower G.P.A. than Wimberly to also be a valedictorian."

She seeks punitive damages for constitutional violations, and an injunction declaring her sole valedictorian of the school's Class of 2011. She is represented by John Walker of Little Rock.

http://www.courthousenews.com/2011/07/25/38410.htm

[Bad_Daddy 2,209]

News flash! Poor little white girl can't be "Ms Black Teen USA".

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News flash! Poor little white girl can't be "Ms Black Teen USA".

That analogy says more than you realize.

[Obama 2012 1,714]

"punitive damages"

Why does this not surprise me.

In all seriousness though, I'd like to know why she was denied?

There's two sides to every story, especially when it comes to things like this.

If she really is a young mother and still had that high GPA, they should be touting her as a role model for young women who get into binds. Many give up. This girl did not.

Good for her.

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In all seriousness though, I'd like to know why she was denied?

There's two sides to every story, especially when it comes to things like this.

Check out the "Facts" section of this document.

http://www.scribd.com/doc/60902397/wimberlypdf

[BishopM 114]

That analogy says more than you realize.

+1

Why_me is all about 'shock factor' though

[_Simpson_ 250]

Being a teenage mother could be part of the reason for not getting the nomination. I'm sure there is a lot more to this story but we all know that in this country all somebody needs to do is cry racism to get national attention.

Where is the "this isn't news" crowd?

[mawilson 2,133]

She can't be valedictorian with a name like Kymberly Wimberly.

[Bad_Daddy 2,209]

Being a teenage mother could be part of the reason for not getting the nomination. I'm sure there is a lot more to this story but we all know that in this country all somebody needs to do is cry racism to get national attention.

Where is the "this isn't news" crowd?

This may have something to do with it.

http://jezebel.com/5824534/valedictorian-says-she-was-stripped-of-title-because-of-her-race

The complaint also says McGehee principal Darrell Thompson told Wimberly's mom that he chose the co-valedictorian "after reading something in the handbook." This handbook is available online — its only requirements for valedictorian eligibility are the following:

For a student to be valedictorian or salutatorian, he/she must be an honor graduate.

Students must be continuously enrolled at McGehee Secondary School the last two semester without transferring during this time to be considered in class ranking or eligible for valedictorian or salutatorian status.

[Obama 2012 1,714]

nm

Edited July 25, 2011 by DJ Kyo

[_Simpson_ 250]

This may have something to do with it.

Interesting.

[OnMyWayID 1,489]

I read this wondering what the other side of the story is because even if the decision makers were racist they can't be that stupid.. The story glossed over the fact that she is a single teenage mother (not an excuse to shun as a valedictorian but a more likely reason for the prejudice and the water cooler talk that was overheard in this case) and also she *WAS* valedictorian, she shared it with one other person. We did not hear the schools reason for what it did...

Also to describe the school as "predominantly white" when 46% are African American seems a bit off..

I tried to find the story from a less agenda-driven source that cares more about the actual story but they were all just reprints of the same thing.. Too bad.

[mawilson 2,133]

Come on! Kymberly Wimberly?

[Usui Takumi 1,562]

Come on! Kymberly Wimberly?

You know her parents probably chose it for that reason.

I remember having to be co-valedictorian even though I had a higher GPA. I think a school suspension had something to do with it, though the principal never elaborated.

[Bad_Daddy 2,209]

I read this wondering what the other side of the story is because even if the decision makers were racist they can't be that stupid.. The story glossed over the fact that she is a single teenage mother (not an excuse to shun as a valedictorian but a more likely reason for the prejudice and the water cooler talk that was overheard in this case) and also she *WAS* valedictorian, she shared it with one other person. We did not hear the schools reason for what it did...

Also to describe the school as "predominantly white" when 46% are African American seems a bit off..

I tried to find the story from a less agenda-driven source that cares more about the actual story but they were all just reprints of the same thing.. Too bad.

AJ (the OP) does that. He post a story like this and then waits for someone to oppose the view of said topic so he can brand them a racist. But ya, I see this being something like another Tawana Brawley and/or Duke Lacrosse team type scenario. All that's missing atm is Al Sharpton.