Constitutional Law, Courts, Society

Black Student Can’t Be Valedictorian

-Submitted by David Drumm (Nal), Guest Blogger

McGehee High School, southeast of Little Rock, Arkansas, would not let Kymberly Wimberly, 18 and black, be valedictorian even though she had the highest GPA. A white student was named as co-valedictorian even though the white student had a lower GPA. Wimberly’s mother, who works at the school as its certified media specialist, heard school personnel express concern that her daughter’s status as valedictorian might cause a “big mess.”

Unforeseen by school officials, the “big mess” now includes a complaint filed by Wimberly in United States District Court .

Wimberly took Honors and Advanced Placement classes during her senior year in order to raise her almost straight “A” GPA that had been lowered by a lone “B.” When all the seniors’ grades were tabulated, Wimberly had the highest GPA of her class. The next day the principal decided to name a white student, with a lower GPA, as co-valedictorian.

The complaint claims a pattern of racial prejudice at the school. African-American students were discouraged, by school administrators and personnel, from taking the Honors and Advanced Placement classes while Caucasian student had to almost opt out of being assigned to the honor’s track.

The complaint alleges deprivation of rights secured by the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment as well as violations of the Constitution of the State of Arkansas and various statutory laws. Wimberly is seeking injunctive, declaratory, and monetary relief.

At a time when many school districts are facing financial shortfalls, it is refreshing to find a school district willing to risk taxpayer funds on attorney’s fees and jury awards.

H/T: Courthouse News Service, Think Progress.

50 thoughts on “Black Student Can’t Be Valedictorian”

  1. Roco, with all due respect, I have to say that you appear fairly unaware of what was happening in the ’50s and ’60s regarding the civil rights movement and the subsequent transfer of loyalties by traditional southern Democrats to the Republican Party. Many of the racial attitudes I recall from that time remain to this day, but the party affiliation has shifted.

  2. Frank:

    I think Faubus and Fullbright remained democrats and Wallace became an independent.

    And as far as racism goes? Give me a break, I dont think republicans ever wore white sheets and who was it who freed the slaves? Oh yes it was father Abraham, wasnt he a republican?

    Mostly democrats look at minorities as tools to be re-elected. Republicans, or at least conservative republicans would like for them to become “stinking filthy” rich.

    Johnson destroyed the black family and set blacks back financially for a generation or more with his great society.

  3. Mike Spindell:

    here is the rest of what I said:

    “Saying it would cause a big “mess” is another issue.”

    And that would be racism. But as I said, my son’s high school class had 40 valedictorians. They were only recognized and there was no speech by a student.

    It depends on whether the school did it for that reason or did it because there are a bunch of racists in the school district who would not like whitey being shown up by a black.

    I imagine you are probably correct, that it was an overt act of racism. But one can certainly hope that people have changed over the years.

    I feel sorry for the young lady but if she had been in my sons class she would have been one of 40. Asian, black, hispanic, middle eastern and white people.

  5. Well said Bob! It is unfortunate to say the least for a child to be put through this crap due to ages old racism.

  6. Can you imagine what would have happened if a school administration tried to pull the same thing in New York?

    I can’t. In this day and age?

    It’s obscene!

    Like I said…

    Mankind has not evolved an inch from the slime that spawned him!

  8. “Having more than one valedictorian is not unprecedented. Especially if the girl had a 4.05 and the boy had a 4.00 for example or even a 3.98.”

    Roco,

    Crap. the Valedictorian is the student with the highest GPA by definition. This was racism and i’m surprised that you would defend it.

  9. Roco – yes Southern Democrats used to be known for their race bating. But you should really try reading a little history. Those types started leaving the party back in the 40’s. Most famously after HHH’s speech in favor of a civil rights plank to the platform caused Strom Thurmond, a racist Dem to switch partys – going to his natural home, the Republicans. The reversal was complete following the 1965 Civil Rights act (LBJ: “I fear what I have done is give the South to the Republicans for a generation”). And Nixon’s cynical co-opting of “States Rights” in 1968.

    So, other than being 50 years behind on your American history you are correct. Well, correct for you, but for normal, intelligent, people not paid to troll web sites spreading Republican bullshit wrong as always.

  11. It’s funny how these old feelings hang around
    You think they’re gone
    No, no
    They just go underground

    Two steps forward one step back. It’s so depressing having to acknowledge the level of ignorance that persists in this culture.

    Mike and Blouise…dead on.

  12. in my sons high school class there were 40 valedictorians, in his grandfathers class in the early 50’s there were 4. The % was the same.

    Having more than one valedictorian is not unprecedented. Especially if the girl had a 4.05 and the boy had a 4.00 for example or even a 3.98.

    Saying it would cause a big “mess” is another issue.

    Wasnt Orval Faubus a democrat and also J. William Fulbright? I guess Arkansas democrats have a long history of sticking it to black Americans. The apple doesnt usually fall far from the tree.

  14. Kymberly Wimberly,

    Shake the dust of that group of ignorant racists from your feet and move out into the world. Your natural gift of intelligence coupled with your proven willingness to work hard will be recognized, appreciated, and rewarded.

  15. Here’s my list of predictable responses:

    1. School principal: Technically, the grades of the top two students were virtually identical, so we decided out of fairness to both to name then co-valedictorians.

    2. Chamber of Commerce: We strive always to promote racial harmony, and we are confident that the decision of the school was intended for that purpose. We offer our congratulations to these two fine students and are proud that the future of our community is in their capable hands.

    3. Right-wing commentator: Every time a decent American turns around these days, someone’s playing the race card.

    4. Contemporary racist: They’ve already got a black President. What more do these people want?

    5. Traditional racist: We wouldn’t have any problems between the whites and the blacks in this town if it weren’t for outsiders trying to stir up trouble.

  17. We have seen this kind of craziness before. Now of course, had the shoe been on the other foot there would be cries of reverse racism all over the place. I would have no problem with a co-Val if the gp averages were tied. Interestingly a similar scenario happened on the Apprentice when the first Black person won. Trump wanted to name a white woman as co-Apprentice. Of course the winner protested as he should have. There had not been two winners before, why does it have to be two winners now? Trump couldn’t answer.

    At the predominately white university where i teach, a number of years ago a Black girl became Homecoming Queen. The campus went into all out protest and fixed the system so it wouldn’t happen again. It hasn’t yet. Not everyone is out of the dark (no pun intended) ages.

  20. Nal,

    I had seen this last night, and in researching the history there found a related story from McGehee dated 1983:

    Court-Ordered Ballot Results In White Homecoming Queen

    McGEHEE, Ark., Oct. 12— A high school football team chose a white homecoming queen for the second time today in a vote that was ordered by a Federal district judge after a black candidate challenged an earlier election.

Comments are closed.