Guest guest Posted May 7, 2003 Report Share Posted May 7, 2003 I think this just proves that the other girl should be valedictorian. Not behavior becoming a Valedictorian!!! LOL! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 7, 2003 Report Share Posted May 7, 2003 In a message dated 5/6/2003 8:39:05 PM Eastern Daylight Time, Jeanna3598@... writes: > . now here the reason for the > Lawsuit this 18yr old by name of Blair Hornstine claims that it would be > damaging for Blair to share the valedictorian honors with another student > well Blair is suing for the district for 2.7 million dollars and here the > Kicker Blair's daddy is a NJ Superior Court Judge now I believe this is the > > stupidest Lawsuit ever filed does this father and Daughter realize that If > and only If she wins this Lawsuit daddy is going to have his taxes raised > to > cover this judgement just because Blair is going to share honor of being > her > class valedictorian sounds to me that this Young Lady should grow up and > Act > like an Adult and not like a 2 yr old having a temper tantrum If this is the same lawauit I heard about, the young lady is angry because the other students took PE and she didn't. She believes she worked harder and deserves it more. I really hope the suit gets dismissed and her parents get hit with the legal fees. Kathy, Liam's mom( 5) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 7, 2003 Report Share Posted May 7, 2003 The same thing happened at my high school - I forget the outcome. Part of what happened is that they had (I think) 17 valedictorians that year and 13 last year. Part of why we moved away is so our kids would get a better education - having that many valedictorians tells you something is going on that shouldn't. Re: Recent Lawsuit Non DS In a message dated 5/6/2003 8:39:05 PM Eastern Daylight Time, Jeanna3598@... writes: > . now here the reason for the > Lawsuit this 18yr old by name of Blair Hornstine claims that it would be > damaging for Blair to share the valedictorian honors with another student > well Blair is suing for the district for 2.7 million dollars and here the > Kicker Blair's daddy is a NJ Superior Court Judge now I believe this is the > > stupidest Lawsuit ever filed does this father and Daughter realize that If > and only If she wins this Lawsuit daddy is going to have his taxes raised > to > cover this judgement just because Blair is going to share honor of being > her > class valedictorian sounds to me that this Young Lady should grow up and > Act > like an Adult and not like a 2 yr old having a temper tantrum If this is the same lawauit I heard about, the young lady is angry because the other students took PE and she didn't. She believes she worked harder and deserves it more. I really hope the suit gets dismissed and her parents get hit with the legal fees. Kathy, Liam's mom( 5) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 8, 2003 Report Share Posted May 8, 2003 In a message dated 5/7/2003 10:59:22 AM Eastern Daylight Time, Mom2lfm@... writes: > the young lady is angry because > the other students took PE and she didn't. She believes she worked harder > and deserves it more. I really hope the suit gets dismissed and her > parents > get hit with the legal fees. > This type of dilema has been going on for years .... many kids take the easy classes and have a higher GPA than kids that take more intense ones. Elective PE classes are only at 11th and 12th grade (required in earlier years,everyone must take) and the elective ones are mainly a hangout for jocks who need to fill their schedule. You gotta be non-moving to get anything other than an A! ;-) Cheryl in VA People with disabilities are here today to remind us that equal justice under the law is not a privilege but a fundamental birthright in America. Senator Ted Kennedy, during the Senate's passage of ADA-July 13, 1990 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 8, 2003 Report Share Posted May 8, 2003 My sister graduated valedictorian, after an entire high school career of honors classes, which carried a higher point value for her GPA. I think the honors classes were worth 4.5 instead of a 4.0. She had a 4.3 when she graduated. She didn't take the easy route, she had no social life, and she chose to study every single night. She had a medical label, SEVERE asthma, but she never used it as an excuse not to take gym. She took that, too, with her inhaler by her side. It really didn't pay off, either, when it came to scholarship time. Because she had no outside interests, other than academic, she wasn't considered a well-rounded person. The salutatorian, who had a 4.0 GPA, got full scholarship offers galore, but she also had tons of other activities going on. My sister put academics in front of everything, and it was her choice. Beth Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 8, 2003 Report Share Posted May 8, 2003 > This type of dilema has been going on for years .... many kids take the easy classes and have a higher GPA than kids that take more intense ones. Elective PE classes are only at 11th and 12th grade (required in earlier years,everyone must take) and the elective ones are mainly a hangout for jocks who need to fill their schedule. You gotta be non-moving to get anything other than an A! ;-) Cheryl in VA This is true. PE, Shop (vo-ag), and Home-ec were also easy A's at my school. Not quite the same as working for an A in physics or trig. Schulte Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 8, 2003 Report Share Posted May 8, 2003 No, No, this is not the case. I heard a lawyer on the radio this morning from the area discussing it. She is labeled disabled for some reason, and is exempt from PE, so she took another academic course. ALL the other kids were REQUIRED to take PE,it was not an elective, which does not carry the same GPA weight even if you get an A. Does that explain it better? She is using her disability to say she has the highest GPA, when the other, nda kids didn't have the option to take an academic class, rather than PE. She is a spoiled brat. Karla in Texas wildwards@... wrote: > > In a message dated 5/7/2003 10:59:22 AM Eastern Daylight Time, > Mom2lfm@... writes: > > > the young lady is angry because > > the other students took PE and she didn't. She believes she worked harder > > and deserves it more. I really hope the suit gets dismissed and her > > parents > > get hit with the legal fees. > > > This type of dilema has been going on for years .... many kids take the > easy classes and have a higher GPA than kids that take more intense ones. > Elective PE classes are only at 11th and 12th grade (required in earlier > years,everyone must take) and the elective ones are mainly a hangout for > jocks who need to fill their schedule. You gotta be non-moving to get > anything other than an A! ;-) > Cheryl in VA > > People with disabilities are here today to remind us that equal justice under > the law is not a privilege but a fundamental birthright in America. > Senator Ted Kennedy, during the Senate's passage > of ADA-July 13, 1990 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 8, 2003 Report Share Posted May 8, 2003 My niece's high school in New Mexico does something interesting. They give extra weight to honors classes in GPA to counteract that problem. So out of a 4.0 scale the kids taking harder classes can end up with GPA's over 4.0. This makes sense to me. Darcy Re: Recent Lawsuit Non DS > This type of dilema has been going on for years .... many kids take the easy classes and have a higher GPA than kids that take more intense ones. Elective PE classes are only at 11th and 12th grade (required in earlier years,everyone must take) and the elective ones are mainly a hangout for jocks who need to fill their schedule. You gotta be non-moving to get anything other than an A! ;-) Cheryl in VA This is true. PE, Shop (vo-ag), and Home-ec were also easy A's at my school. Not quite the same as working for an A in physics or trig. Schulte Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 8, 2003 Report Share Posted May 8, 2003 It makes sense to me too. I'll have to bring it up at my school. Schulte Re: Recent Lawsuit Non DS > This type of dilema has been going on for years .... many kids take the easy classes and have a higher GPA than kids that take more intense ones. Elective PE classes are only at 11th and 12th grade (required in earlier years,everyone must take) and the elective ones are mainly a hangout for jocks who need to fill their schedule. You gotta be non-moving to get anything other than an A! ;-) Cheryl in VA This is true. PE, Shop (vo-ag), and Home-ec were also easy A's at my school. Not quite the same as working for an A in physics or trig. Schulte Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 9, 2003 Report Share Posted May 9, 2003 In a message dated 5/8/2003 10:51:03 AM Eastern Daylight Time, Collarbone@... writes: > . She is a spoiled brat. Oh, yes, it certainly sounds that way doesn't it!! What about her parents encouraging her?? Cheryl in VA People with disabilities are here today to remind us that equal justice under the law is not a privilege but a fundamental birthright in America. Senator Ted Kennedy, during the Senate's passage of ADA-July 13, 1990 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 9, 2003 Report Share Posted May 9, 2003 In a message dated 5/8/2003 10:51:03 AM Eastern Daylight Time, Collarbone@... writes: > ALL the other kids were REQUIRED to take > PE,it was not an elective, which does not carry the same GPA weight even > if you get an A. Here, an A's an A unless you take an AP class (honors is different than AP). AP classes have weighted grades. But an A in PE (required or elective) counts as a 4 in your GPA, just as a Biology of Language Arts class would. So she wants more weight given to whatever class she took to replace her PE ..... too bad. Cheryl in VA People with disabilities are here today to remind us that equal justice under the law is not a privilege but a fundamental birthright in America. Senator Ted Kennedy, during the Senate's passage of ADA-July 13, 1990 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 9, 2003 Report Share Posted May 9, 2003 They do the same thing on Long Island. Honors classes are weighted more heavily. Re: Recent Lawsuit Non DS > > > > > This type of dilema has been going on for years .... many kids take the > easy classes and have a higher GPA than kids that take more intense ones. > Elective PE classes are only at 11th and 12th grade (required in earlier > years,everyone must take) and the elective ones are mainly a hangout for > jocks who need to fill their schedule. You gotta be non-moving to get > anything other than an A! ;-) > Cheryl in VA > > This is true. PE, Shop (vo-ag), and Home-ec were also easy A's at my > school. Not quite the same as working for an A in physics or trig. > > Schulte > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 9, 2003 Report Share Posted May 9, 2003 I decided to look this up since I heard something different here on TV.... she did have a higher GPA... the kids that the school district wanted to include as co validictorians took PE which did not have as high of a weighting so their overall GPA's were lower.... Here is the article on CNN.education ... here is the link., according to the tv segment she won the right to be sole validictorian but no decision had been made regarding punitive damages and such http://www.cnn.com/2003/EDUCATION/05/02/valedictorian.lawsuit.ap/ MOORESTOWN, New Jersey (AP) -- Blair Hornstine's latest report card had four A-plus grades in five courses. She scored a 1570 out of 1600 on the SAT and is deciding whether to attend Harvard, Stanford, Duke, Princeton or Cornell -- all of which have accepted her. But despite her best-in-her-class grades, her school district wants to name her co-valedictorian with two other students. Hornstine, the 18-year-old daughter of a state Superior Court judge, has asked a federal judge to intervene, saying that being forced to share with students with lesser grades would detract from what she has accomplished. She has also filed a notice saying she plans to sue the school district in state court claiming the dispute has humiliated her. She said she would be asking for $200,000 in compensatory damages and $2.5 million in punitive damages. Her school district looks at the disagreement another way: Because of an immune deficiency, Hornstine is classified as a disabled student and has taken a class load that doesn't include physical education and involves her spending part of her school day studying at home. The two other stown High School seniors with nearly perfect grades could not match her grade-point average, officials said, because classes like gym receive less weight in calculating the GPA. " After reviewing these issues, I was concerned about the fundamental fairness of the academic competition engaged in for the valedictorian and salutatorian awards, " Superintendent Kadri said in a court filing. " The level of competition ... had been compromised. " U.S. District Judge Freda Wolfson set a hearing for May 8, and the stown Board of Education planned to consider what to do about the situation at a May 12 meeting. Graduation is June 19. Hornstine, who said she plans to become a lawyer, is not the first student to sue over the right to be valedictorian of a high school class. In the last year alone, judges have been asked to consider similar cases in Ohio, Washington and Michigan. In two of the cases, students who wanted to be included as co-valedictorians were allowed by judges to be included. The third case, in Michigan, involves a student who wanted an A changed to an A+ so he would be more likely to be valedictorian. Ann-marie Recent Lawsuit Non DS Hi folks! I was reading in the Local Papers in our area Philadelphia PA about a 18yr old young Lady that recently Filed a lawsuit against one stown School District in Burlington County NJ, which is the next town over where I grew up. stown is a very Affluent town. now here the reason for the Lawsuit this 18yr old by name of Blair Hornstine claims that it would be damaging for Blair to share the valedictorian honors with another student well Blair is suing for the district for 2.7 million dollars and here the Kicker Blair's daddy is a NJ Superior Court Judge now I believe this is the stupidest Lawsuit ever filed does this father and Daughter realize that If and only If she wins this Lawsuit daddy is going to have his taxes raised to cover this judgement just because Blair is going to share honor of being her class valedictorian sounds to me that this Young Lady should grow up and Act like an Adult and not like a 2 yr old having a temper tantrum thank you Di father of Jeanna DS and Jr Non DS from Mays Landing NJ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 10, 2003 Report Share Posted May 10, 2003 In a message dated 5/9/2003 11:47:13 PM Eastern Daylight Time, annshelley@... writes: > I decided to look this up since I heard something different here on TV.... > she did have a higher GPA... the kids that the school district wanted to > include as co validictorians took PE which did not have as high of a > weighting so their overall GPA's were lower.... Here is the article on > CNN.education ... here is the link., according to the tv segment she won > the right to be sole validictorian but no decision had been made regarding > punitive damages and such Still, I think she was a poor sport about the situation. I also think the school board had an excellent point. How in the world would being a co-valedictorian hurt her in the course of her life? I went to a private high school. Selection of valedictorian and saludictorian was a decision made by the faculty. Yes grades were primary, but they were also looking to create well rounded citizens. I have a lot of respect for attorneys -- heck I almost married one, but this girl is a lawyer joke waiting to happen. Kathy, Liam's mom( 5) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 10, 2003 Report Share Posted May 10, 2003 I always thought that gym was a mandatory subject. I know it is here on Long Island. So if she was excusd from gym because of some special need and took a heavier weighted subject due to this fact than that is not fair and should also be weighed. I think that the fact that a Valedictorian is suppose to be someone that the other students aspire to be. A leader, someone who shows excellence in work as well as exemplary standards for self and is an example to others should disqualify her right there. To me she just showed that somewhere along the line she failed to learn a sense of fair play and sportsmanship. What is happening to us. Our kids are not learning the true values in life. Winning isn't everything. I pray that my kids would learn the value of friendship, caring and giving. Then they have truly won. Just remember, this girl is an example of our future. She will be among those LEADING (and I use that word lighly) our country and making decisions for ALL of us. Maybe we all should think about that as we raise our kids. Our futures are in their hands!! Loree Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 10, 2003 Report Share Posted May 10, 2003 The other students are saying they couldn't possibly achieve the kinds of grades that she did because while they were in gym class she was taking academic substitutes (which were weighted higher). I guess if they truly were " required " to take the " less weighted subjects " they have a point. But if they just took gym as an elective for an easy A...well that's a different story. We filled out my 14 year old high school schedule for next year last night. He is required to take PE as a freshman, but not as a soph., jr., sr. Schulte Recent Lawsuit Non DS > > > Hi folks! I was reading in the Local Papers in our area Philadelphia PA about > a 18yr old young Lady that recently Filed a lawsuit against one stown > School District in Burlington County NJ, which is the next town over where I > grew up. stown is a very Affluent town. now here the reason for the > Lawsuit this 18yr old by name of Blair Hornstine claims that it would be > damaging for Blair to share the valedictorian honors with another student > well Blair is suing for the district for 2.7 million dollars and here the > Kicker Blair's daddy is a NJ Superior Court Judge now I believe this is the > stupidest Lawsuit ever filed does this father and Daughter realize that If > and only If she wins this Lawsuit daddy is going to have his taxes raised to > cover this judgement just because Blair is going to share honor of being her > class valedictorian sounds to me that this Young Lady should grow up and Act > like an Adult and not like a 2 yr old having a temper tantrum thank you > Di father of Jeanna DS > and Jr Non DS from Mays Landing NJ > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 10, 2003 Report Share Posted May 10, 2003 In a message dated 5/10/2003 12:00:05 PM Eastern Daylight Time, Loree5@... writes: > I always thought that gym was a mandatory subject. I know it is here on > Long > Island. So if she was excusd from gym because of some special need and > took > a heavier weighted subject due to this fact than that is not fair and > should > also be weighed. True, the other students did not have that option available to them. PE is required here for 9th and 10th grade, after that it is an elective. Cheryl in VA People with disabilities are here today to remind us that equal justice under the law is not a privilege but a fundamental birthright in America. Senator Ted Kennedy, during the Senate's passage of ADA-July 13, 1990 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 10, 2003 Report Share Posted May 10, 2003 I read the story and I am curious. If her disability kept her from attending classes and forced her to be homeschooled, how will she be a lawyer ... see clients over the video phone? Cheryl in VA People with disabilities are here today to remind us that equal justice under the law is not a privilege but a fundamental birthright in America. Senator Ted Kennedy, during the Senate's passage of ADA-July 13, 1990 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 10, 2003 Report Share Posted May 10, 2003 Of course, I agree with what you are saying about the girl being a poor example and it being a silly lawsuit. I was just thinking about how I would feel if this were my high school senior. We do not have weighted classes at our high school....although I think we should! I am sure my 14 year old will take a lot of college prep classes. (in fact he is enrolled in college classes this summer under the advice of his gifted teacher). I think trig, calc, etc. should be weighted higher than pe, vo-ag, etc. classes. In my area of NE Kansas gym is not usually required in high school. MOST of the kids are in some type of sport after school hours and they don't get a grade for that. Schulte Re: Recent Lawsuit Non DS I always thought that gym was a mandatory subject. I know it is here on Long Island. So if she was excusd from gym because of some special need and took a heavier weighted subject due to this fact than that is not fair and should also be weighed. I think that the fact that a Valedictorian is suppose to be someone that the other students aspire to be. A leader, someone who shows excellence in work as well as exemplary standards for self and is an example to others should disqualify her right there. To me she just showed that somewhere along the line she failed to learn a sense of fair play and sportsmanship. What is happening to us. Our kids are not learning the true values in life. Winning isn't everything. I pray that my kids would learn the value of friendship, caring and giving. Then they have truly won. Just remember, this girl is an example of our future. She will be among those LEADING (and I use that word lighly) our country and making decisions for ALL of us. Maybe we all should think about that as we raise our kids. Our futures are in their hands!! Loree Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 10, 2003 Report Share Posted May 10, 2003 I think I was thinking like said she was... if it were my senior year, and I made this great average, and that is all the school district had said was needed to be named validictorian and that there could only be one.... and then all of a sudden, because of my disability, they said I had to share that honor with those whose grade point average was lower.... I would have been pissed.... while I agree that lawsuits like this are silly and mostly a waste of time... I hate the idea of the rules being changed after the fact.... They must have seen this coming more then 1 year ago.... the school district should have changed the rules in advance not just weeks before the end of the school year to be effective for that graduating class.... Also, does anyone know what the grade point averages would have been if they had just taken out the gym grade?? Since this is an average.... taking 10 classes or 9 should not make a difference just the weight... maybe gym classes should not be counted... or maybe the school district should have required an adapted PE class for this disabled student.... I guess I just get the feeling that they did not think this all through prior to this school year and maybe they just did not expect a " disabled " student to do so well?? Why should the student with a disability be held to a different standard... if the school had always appointed the validictorian purely on grade point average why should it be different when a child who has a recognized disability is the one making the highest gpa regardless of the popularity of the student... what to protect those typical students???. and why does a school district wait until the end of the school year to announce this type of decision .... is it part of the same problem we encounter during IEP where the school district says this is what is available, take it or leave it..... if we have the right to pursue litiagation... why is it different when the child's parent is a lawyer or judge themselves...... Just playing devil's advocate here Ann-marie Re: Recent Lawsuit Non DS I always thought that gym was a mandatory subject. I know it is here on Long Island. So if she was excusd from gym because of some special need and took a heavier weighted subject due to this fact than that is not fair and should also be weighed. I think that the fact that a Valedictorian is suppose to be someone that the other students aspire to be. A leader, someone who shows excellence in work as well as exemplary standards for self and is an example to others should disqualify her right there. To me she just showed that somewhere along the line she failed to learn a sense of fair play and sportsmanship. What is happening to us. Our kids are not learning the true values in life. Winning isn't everything. I pray that my kids would learn the value of friendship, caring and giving. Then they have truly won. Just remember, this girl is an example of our future. She will be among those LEADING (and I use that word lighly) our country and making decisions for ALL of us. Maybe we all should think about that as we raise our kids. Our futures are in their hands!! Loree Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 10, 2003 Report Share Posted May 10, 2003 Thanks for agreeing with me Ann. I was starting to think that rarely happened on this list. LOL. Anyway, what I really think this comes down to is the schools policy on PE. If PE is mandatory then they should NOT have given the girls substitute classes a higher weight. Even if these classes are normally weighted higher they shouldn't be if they are substituting for the PE class. Then the playing field will be leveled, so to speak, and there would be no debate as to who the real validictorian should be. Schulte Re: Recent Lawsuit Non DS > > > I always thought that gym was a mandatory subject. I know it is here on Long Island. So if she was excusd from gym because of some special need and took a heavier weighted subject due to this fact than that is not fair and should also be weighed. I think that the fact that a Valedictorian is suppose to be someone that the other students aspire to be. A leader, someone who shows excellence in work as well as exemplary standards for self and is an example to others should disqualify her right there. To me she just showed that somewhere along the line she failed to learn a sense of fair play and sportsmanship. What is happening to us. Our kids are not learning the true values in life. Winning isn't everything. I pray that my kids would learn the value of friendship, caring and giving. Then they have truly won. > Just remember, this girl is an example of our future. She will be among those LEADING (and I use that word lighly) our country and making decisions for ALL of us. Maybe we all should think about that as we raise our kids. Our futures are in their hands!! > > Loree > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 11, 2003 Report Share Posted May 11, 2003 From what I have read about this lawsuit, I don't think that her not getting Valedictorian has anything to do with being " disabled " , I think that card should also be played very carefully. I have a neice who has CP and she has used the fact that she is " disabled " to her advantage over a number of nitpicky things throughout her life. No one wants to be around her. We should think very carefully what we teach our children about their handicaps. Yes they have rights, but that shouldn't mean they can bulldoze over other peoples rights by using the " handicapped " card. Loree Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 12, 2003 Report Share Posted May 12, 2003 I have to say, after reading these stories, that she really used her disability status to take an unfair advantage over the other students, IMO. I hope she doesn't win any damages, she's done enough damage already. Interesting, she had an IEP, not a 504. What specialized education did she need? Cheryl in VA May 9, 2003 Judge Rules Disabled Student Will Be Sole High School Valedictorian A federal judge ruled yesterday that a South Jersey high school senior with an immune deficiency would be the sole valedictorian for her graduating class this year, after she contended that the school district was discriminating against her by proposing that two other students share the honor. The student, Blair L. Hornstine, 18, sued the stown school district, its superintendent and the township of stown after learning that although she had the highest grade-point average in her class, she might have to share the honor with two others. She maintained that the proposal would diminish the award and her academic career. But lawyers for the school district in Burlington County argued that because of her immune deficiency, Ms. Hornstine is classified as a disabled student and is granted privileges that other stown High School students are not. In her ruling today, Judge Freda L. Wolfson of United States District Court in Camden agreed with Ms. Hornstine. Because of her illness, Ms. Hornstine spends only a few hours a day at the high school taking classes, and the rest of the day at home with private tutors. Because she is exempt from physical education classes, school officials said, she was able to take more weighted academic classes. Earlier this year, several parents and students expressed their concern to the superintendent, J. Kadri, that Ms. Hornstine had an unfair advantage over other students because of her home schooling and ability to take multiple advanced placement classes, according to court papers. The school's brief said, " These accommodations were made in light of plaintiff's classification, and truly afforded plaintiff an advantage in competing for the valedictorian and/or salutatorian awards which her peers simply did not enjoy. " Traditionally, a valedictorian is the student in a graduating class with the highest grade-point average. School officials have not yet named a valedictorian, but before the court ruling, had planned a meeting for Monday to discuss the possibility of naming co-valedictorians. Today, Ms. Hornstine's lawyer, Edwin J. s Jr. said he was satisfied with the ruling. " I feel it's a shame that it took a federal lawsuit to get a disabled student what she is entitled to, " Mr. s said. " But Blair is getting the award not because of the disability but despite her disability. She has earned this award. " Ms. Hornstine was not in court today and did not return several messages left at her home. Mr. s said he had spoken with his client's father, Louis F. Hornstine, a State Superior Court judge, and said the family was pleased by the ruling. In the lawsuit, Ms. Hornstine asked for $200,000 in compensatory damages and $2.5 million in punitive damages. Judge Wolfson is expected to address those requests in a later ruling, Mr. s said. A lawyer for the school district, B. Comegno II, did not return several messages, and Mr. Kadri was unavailable for comment. Ms. Hornstine's lawsuit is hardly a novelty. In recent years, students in Michigan, Ohio and Washington have gone to court to prevent schools from naming co-valedictorians. Mr. s said that his client would attend Harvard in the fall and that she planned to become a lawyer. He said he did not know what topic Ms.Hornstine would address during her commencement address on June 19. http://www.nytimes.com/2003/05/09/education/09GRAD.html? ei=5062 & en=bafbe2657f2c6d17 & ex=1053144000 & partner=GOOGLE & pagewanted=print & po sition= Judge rules student with disability gets the honor By Jim Nolan Philadelphia Daily News May 9, 2003 In the fall, they're both going to Harvard. Good thing it's a big campus. That's because on June 19 - graduation day - only one will be valedictorianat stown High School. Yesterday, a federal judge ruled the honor belongs solely to BlairHornstine, the special education student who had the highest grade pointaverage in the senior class. Hornstine, 18, had sued last week to thwart an attempt by school officialsto change the rules so they could award valedictory honors to an additional student. But U.S. District Judge Freda Wolfson found that attempts by the stown School Board and superintendent Kadri to challenge Hornstine's academic credentials - and to change school policy retroactively to affect this years valedictorian honor - amounted to discrimination. " More than sufficient evidence exists that the board's proposed amendment is intended and designed to have an...exclusionary effect on the plaintiff, and the disabled in particular, " Wolfson said in a sharply worded decision after the three-hour hearing. " Ms. Hornstine earned her top honor...in spite of, not because of, her disability. " Wolfson granted Hornstine's request and issued a temporary restraining order barring the board from changing its policy and naming a second valedictorian. Had the board been able to do so, she said, it would have sent " a message loud and clear that we have two valedictorians - a disabled one and an able one. " Instead of honoring her...the board would be insulting her. " Hornstine, 18, who has an auto-immune disorder that is similar to chronic-fatigue syndrome, was not in court yesterday to hear the decision. Her lawyer, Edwin s Jr., said the last week had been extremely stressful on his client. " She's been harassed, threatened by phone calls and by mail. And her house was vandalized at 3:15 Sunday morning, " ssaid. In a printed statement released after the decision, however, the petite senior went on the offensive, accusing the school administration of " fostering an environment that humiliates, intimidates and ultimately divides my classmates and me. " " I have been accused of only caring about me being the valedictorian, " she said. " Nothing could be further from the truth. I want all students to receive what they have earned in accordance with the rules. " I have been made to feel insignificant, " she added. " Why? Because the school administration tried to put a negative 'spin' on who I am and what I have achieved. " stown School Board president Cyndy Wulfsberg said the board was " disappointed " with the decision and was " weighing its options " forfuture action, but would not elaborate. Runner-up valedictorian Mirkin was also disappointed, but said he was " not concerned " about losing the honor. Instead, he told reporters that he filed papers in the case because " the senior class, the student body, and residents of stown were being " taken advantage of " in the case. " When the facts come out, " he said, " people will view the board's actions and Hornstine's cause differently. " Not all the facts have been brought to light, " he said, leaving court with his mother and attorney Fran Hartman. To s, there was no ambiguity about what happened. " The board of education and this superintendent in particular targeted my client for illegal and unlawful discrimination, " he said outside the federal courthouse, flanked by co-counsel Ira Fingles and a Appenzeller. " It's just a shame that it took a federal court order. " Wolfson's court order made Hornstine the valedictorian. Ultimately, though, the court of public opinion may prove harder to win over. The stown community has clearly been angered and torn by the litigious squabble. Talk of protests at the graduation or other demonstrations occupies the school hallways and lunch counters of the affluent community - where many believe she shouldn't have objected to sharing the top award. Said Hornstine: " I couldn't live with myself if I had left unprotected the next disabled student from the school's actions. " For the moment in stown, however, she might have to live with herself and the title alone, knowing she's not going to be voted most popular. http://www.ican.com/news/fullpage.cfm/articleid/9F953449-1353-46EA- AD71E5BA9FDD3C0C/cx/news.news/article.cfm Student wins valedictorian suit Friday, May 9, 2003 By RENEE WINKLER and JIM WALSH Courier-Post Staff CAMDEN A federal judge on Thursday ruled a disabled student must be the sole valedictorian for stown High School's Class of 2003. The decision, which came with a stern lecture for school officials, upheld a discrimination complaint by the student, 18-year-old Blair Hornstine. She sued to block school officials from naming a co-valedictorian. " Instead of honoring her, they would diminish the honor, " U.S. District Judge Freda Wolfson said of the plan to have Hornstine share top-student status. It was not clear if Hornstine's legal victory would be matched by any gain in the court of public opinion. Her lawsuit, which seeks damages of $2.5 million, turned a girl known for good grades and community service into a controversial figure. " It's really sad, " said a fellow senior at stown High, who spoke anonymously after school officials asked students to avoid the media. " People won't remember her as the girl who got the best grades, which she did. They'll remember her as the girl who threw a fit. " But in a prepared statement, Hornstine said she filed the lawsuit to help others. " My decision was an act of necessity, aimed at saving others from apathy, " said Hornstine, who added she was " victimized " and " terrorized " due to the suit. Had she allowed the school board to name a second valedictorian who is not disabled, Hornstine said, " I would have left unprotected the next disabled student. " Under the stown district's policy, the valedictorian is chosen based on a student's academic record after seven semesters. Hornstine had the top rating, with a grade point average of 4.6894. But Superintendent R. Kadri said the girl had an advantage because she was primarily taught at home by district tutors over the past two years. In court papers, Kadri said Hornstine was able to take more advanced placement courses, which are heavily weighted in determining class rank, and to avoid state-mandated physical education classes, which are not. He asked the school board to consider allowing the second-ranked student to share valedictorian status. Hornstine's attorney, Edwin J. s Jr., said any change in policy at this time would violate her rights under federal laws that protect people with disabilities. Those laws require the school district to make " accommodations " for students with special needs but also bar the school from using different grading systems for those students. " This is very clear discrimination, " s said. " What they (school officials) did to this child was unspeakable. " Hornstine did not attend the hearing, which lasted more than three hours. " She's suffering this minute because of the stress (of the lawsuit), " s said. He said the girl's house was pelted with eggs early Sunday. The high school's second-ranked student, Mirkin, was in the courtroom. He later said Hornstine's ability to boost her average through home tutors " took advantage of " her fellow seniors. " I'm not concerned about my personal status, " said Mirkin, who will now take the salutatorian's spot under the rules in the stown student handbook. Both he and Hornstine plan to attend Harvard University in the fall. The school board was set to vote Monday on the policy change for graduation speakers. B. Comegno II, the attorney for Kadri and the school board, said the proposed change was a " clarification " that would only make Hornstine " share the stage " at the June 19 graduation ceremony. Hornstine's attorney saw it differently. " You think it's only a title, " he said. " Tell that to Muhammad Ali. " In her ruling, Wolfson said retroactive changes to school policy, as outlined in a handbook distributed to incoming freshmen and their parents, are illegal. Wolfson also brushed off arguments by the school board that Hornstine's father, Superior Court Judge Louis F. Hornstine, had threatened to manipulate rules to ensure his daughter's ranking. Wolfson noted that the school board had approved Blair Hornstine's curriculum and instructors under an Individualized Education Program (IEP) for the disabled student. " Are you now trying to penalize her for complying with an IEP they approved? " she asked. The case will move to a trial on damages. School board President Cyndy Wulfsberg said she did not know what the district would do next. " We're digesting the opinion, " she said. http://www.southjerseynews.com/issues/may/m050903b.htm US pupil sues for being made to share top prize By n Coman, in Washington (Filed: 11/05/2003) Friendly rivalry between pupils is usually a sign of a healthy school environment. But at stown High School, New Jersey, the determination of one star student to finish top of her class has enraged her peers and led to a $2.7 million (£1.7 million) federal lawsuit. Blair Hornstine, a formidably intelligent and hard-working 18-year-old, sued for damages after being told she must share a top student award with a high-achieving rival who scored slightly lower marks in end-of-school tests. Even in a society as notoriously litigious as America, the case of Blair L. Hornstine vs stown Board of Education has raised eyebrows. Ms Hornstine's school career is a glittering tale of accomplishment, prizes and praise. Scholarships have netted her more than $10,000 in prize money. The USA Today newspaper named her in its list of Academic All Americans, supposedly the nation's finest brains. She is captain of the school's debating team. Last December, President W. Bush presented her with one of 20 President's Community Volunteer Awards for her work raising money for disabled Chinese infants. She has already won a place at Harvard next year. In stown, a small town not far from Philadelphia, there is only one prize left for her to win: the stown High School Valedictorian award, given each June to the departing student with the highest grades. The award, which can confer instant entry into an Ivy League college, is fiercely contested at every school. America, however, has never seen anything quite like the battle at stown High. Ms Hornstine's school asked her to share the valedictorian with a rival, 18- year-old Mirkin, despite the fact that, by pursuing a special curriculum, she achieved the highest end-of-year grades. In her final year, she scored 1,570 from a possible 1600 points. However, because she suffers from an immune system disorder similar to chronic fatigue syndrome, she was permitted to take half of her lessons at home. As a result, says the local schools superintendent, Kadri, she could choose classes offering a points total not available to her rivals - raising concerns about " the fundamental fairness of the academic competition " . The school board proposed that she share the prize with Mr Mirkin, who it said might have gained the same total, given the same concessions. The Hornstine family's response was ferocious. Ms Hornstine's father, a local judge, hired a criminal lawyer, Edwin s, whose last big case was a high-profile New Jersey Mafia trial. In papers presented to a federal court, he argued that the school board " inaccurately " suggested Ms Hornstine was not top of her class, and raised " a derogatory implication " that her performance was not what it seemed. " Rather than being lauded for her significant academic accomplishments, the co-valedictorian status . . . will serve only to highlight the fact that due to her disabling conditions, the defendants do not consider her achievement to be on a par with that of a non-disabled student. " Mr Mirkin has filed a counter-suit, claiming his right to share the award. His lawyer, Frances Hartman, said: " The real bottom line is, there is no harm to this young woman. " Not for the first time, Ms Hornstine appears to be coming out on top. On Thursday, in a provisional finding, District Judge Freda Wolfson issued a temporary order preventing the school from giving the valedictorian award to anyone else - and criticised the " strange and relentless " campaign by the school board to make her share the honour. Her case for damages and compensation is expected to go to trial later in the year. Her initial victory, however, has come at a price. Eggs have been thrown at the Hornstine family home. Classmates have queued up to denounce Ms Hornstine's over-competitive nature on national television. Prizegiving is on June 19. A full house is expected. http://www.dailytelegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml? xml=/news/2003/05/11/whorn11.xml & sSheet=/news/2003/05/11/ixworld.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 12, 2003 Report Share Posted May 12, 2003 I believe we have a case of reverse discrimination!!! Loree Re: Recent Lawsuit Non DS > I have to say, after reading these stories, that she really used her disability status to take an unfair advantage over the other students, IMO. I hope she doesn't win any damages, she's done enough damage already. Interesting, she had an IEP, not a 504. What specialized education did she need? > Cheryl in VA > > May 9, 2003 > Judge Rules Disabled Student Will Be Sole High School Valedictorian > > > A federal judge ruled yesterday that a South Jersey high school senior with an immune deficiency would be the sole valedictorian for her graduating class this year, after she contended that the school district was discriminating against her by proposing that two other students share the honor. > > The student, Blair L. Hornstine, 18, sued the stown school district, its superintendent and the township of stown after learning that although she had the highest grade-point average in her class, she might have to share the honor with two others. She maintained that the proposal > would diminish the award and her academic career. > > But lawyers for the school district in Burlington County argued that because of her immune deficiency, Ms. Hornstine is classified as a disabled student and is granted privileges that other stown High School students are not. > > In her ruling today, Judge Freda L. Wolfson of United States District Court in Camden agreed with Ms. Hornstine. > > Because of her illness, Ms. Hornstine spends only a few hours a day at the high school taking classes, and the rest of the day at home with private tutors. Because she is exempt from physical education classes, school officials said, she was able to take more weighted academic classes. > > Earlier this year, several parents and students expressed their concern to the superintendent, J. Kadri, that Ms. Hornstine had an unfair advantage over other students because of her home schooling and ability to take multiple advanced placement classes, according to court papers. > > The school's brief said, " These accommodations were made in light of plaintiff's classification, and truly afforded plaintiff an advantage in competing for the valedictorian and/or salutatorian awards which her peers simply did not enjoy. " > > Traditionally, a valedictorian is the student in a graduating class with the highest grade-point average. School officials have not yet named a valedictorian, but before the court ruling, had planned a meeting for Monday to discuss the possibility of naming co-valedictorians. > > Today, Ms. Hornstine's lawyer, Edwin J. s Jr. said he was satisfied with the ruling. > > " I feel it's a shame that it took a federal lawsuit to get a disabled student what she is entitled to, " Mr. s said. " But Blair is getting the award not because of the disability but despite her disability. She has earned this award. " > > Ms. Hornstine was not in court today and did not return several messages left at her home. Mr. s said he had spoken with his client's father, Louis F. Hornstine, a State Superior Court judge, and said the family was pleased by the ruling. > > In the lawsuit, Ms. Hornstine asked for $200,000 in compensatory damages and $2.5 million in punitive damages. Judge Wolfson is expected to address those requests in a later ruling, Mr. s said. > > A lawyer for the school district, B. Comegno II, did not return several messages, and Mr. Kadri was unavailable for comment. > > Ms. Hornstine's lawsuit is hardly a novelty. In recent years, students in Michigan, Ohio and Washington have gone to court to prevent schools from naming co-valedictorians. > > Mr. s said that his client would attend Harvard in the fall and that she planned to become a lawyer. He said he did not know what topic Ms.Hornstine would address during her commencement address on June 19. > > http://www.nytimes.com/2003/05/09/education/09GRAD.html? > ei=5062 & en=bafbe2657f2c6d17 & ex=1053144000 & partner=GOOGLE & pagewanted=print & po > sition= > > > Judge rules student with disability gets the honor > By Jim Nolan > Philadelphia Daily News > May 9, 2003 > > In the fall, they're both going to Harvard. > Good thing it's a big campus. > That's because on June 19 - graduation day - only one will be valedictorianat stown High School. > Yesterday, a federal judge ruled the honor belongs solely to BlairHornstine, the special education student who had the highest grade pointaverage in the senior class. > Hornstine, 18, had sued last week to thwart an attempt by school officialsto change the rules so they could award valedictory honors to an additional student. > But U.S. District Judge Freda Wolfson found that attempts by the stown School Board and superintendent Kadri to challenge Hornstine's academic credentials - and to change school policy retroactively to affect this years valedictorian honor - amounted to discrimination. > " More than sufficient evidence exists that the board's proposed amendment is intended and designed to have an...exclusionary effect on the plaintiff, > and the disabled in particular, " Wolfson said in a sharply worded decision after the three-hour hearing. > " Ms. Hornstine earned her top honor...in spite of, not because of, her disability. " Wolfson granted Hornstine's request and issued a temporary restraining order barring the board from changing its policy and naming a second valedictorian. > Had the board been able to do so, she said, it would have sent " a message > loud and clear that we have two valedictorians - a disabled one and an able > one. > " Instead of honoring her...the board would be insulting her. " > Hornstine, 18, who has an auto-immune disorder that is similar to chronic-fatigue syndrome, was not in court yesterday to hear the decision. > Her lawyer, Edwin s Jr., said the last week had been extremely stressful on his client. " She's been harassed, threatened by phone calls and by mail. And her house was vandalized at 3:15 Sunday morning, " ssaid. > > In a printed statement released after the decision, however, the petite senior went on the offensive, accusing the school administration of " fostering an environment that humiliates, intimidates and ultimately divides my classmates and me. " > " I have been accused of only caring about me being the valedictorian, " she said. " Nothing could be further from the truth. I want all students to receive what they have earned in accordance with the rules. > " I have been made to feel insignificant, " she added. " Why? Because the school administration tried to put a negative 'spin' on who I am and what I have achieved. " > stown School Board president Cyndy Wulfsberg said the board was " disappointed " with the decision and was " weighing its options " forfuture action, but would not elaborate. > Runner-up valedictorian Mirkin was also disappointed, but said he was " not concerned " about losing the honor. > Instead, he told reporters that he filed papers in the case because " the senior class, the student body, and residents of stown were being " taken advantage of " in the case. > " When the facts come out, " he said, " people will view the board's actions and Hornstine's cause differently. > " Not all the facts have been brought to light, " he said, leaving court with his mother and attorney Fran Hartman. > > To s, there was no ambiguity about what happened. > " The board of education and this superintendent in particular targeted my client for illegal and unlawful discrimination, " he said outside the federal courthouse, flanked by co-counsel Ira Fingles and a Appenzeller. " It's just a shame that it took a federal court order. " > Wolfson's court order made Hornstine the valedictorian. > Ultimately, though, the court of public opinion may prove harder to win over. > > The stown community has clearly been angered and torn by the litigious squabble. Talk of protests at the graduation or other demonstrations occupies the school hallways and lunch counters of the affluent community - where many believe she shouldn't have objected to sharing the top award. > Said Hornstine: " I couldn't live with myself if I had left unprotected the next disabled student from the school's actions. " > For the moment in stown, however, she might have to live with herself and the title alone, knowing she's not going to be voted most popular. > http://www.ican.com/news/fullpage.cfm/articleid/9F953449-1353-46EA- > AD71E5BA9FDD3C0C/cx/news.news/article.cfm > > Student wins valedictorian suit > > Friday, May 9, 2003 > > By RENEE WINKLER and JIM WALSH > Courier-Post Staff > CAMDEN > > A federal judge on Thursday ruled a disabled student must be the sole valedictorian for stown High School's Class of 2003. > > The decision, which came with a stern lecture for school officials, upheld a discrimination complaint by the student, 18-year-old Blair Hornstine. She sued to block school officials from naming a co-valedictorian. > > " Instead of honoring her, they would diminish the honor, " U.S. District Judge Freda Wolfson said of the plan to have Hornstine share top-student status. > > It was not clear if Hornstine's legal victory would be matched by any gain in the court of public opinion. > > Her lawsuit, which seeks damages of $2.5 million, turned a girl known for good grades and community service into a controversial figure. > > " It's really sad, " said a fellow senior at stown High, who spoke anonymously after school officials asked students to avoid the media. > > " People won't remember her as the girl who got the best grades, which she did. They'll remember her as the girl who threw a fit. " > > But in a prepared statement, Hornstine said she filed the lawsuit to help others. > > " My decision was an act of necessity, aimed at saving others from apathy, " said Hornstine, who added she was " victimized " and " terrorized " due to the suit. > > Had she allowed the school board to name a second valedictorian who is not disabled, Hornstine said, " I would have left unprotected the next disabled student. " > > Under the stown district's policy, the valedictorian is chosen based on a student's academic record after seven semesters. > > Hornstine had the top rating, with a grade point average of 4.6894. > > But Superintendent R. Kadri said the girl had an advantage because she was primarily taught at home by district tutors over the past two years. > > In court papers, Kadri said Hornstine was able to take more advanced placement courses, which are heavily weighted in determining class rank, and to avoid state-mandated physical education classes, which are not. > > He asked the school board to consider allowing the second-ranked student to share valedictorian status. > > Hornstine's attorney, Edwin J. s Jr., said any change in policy at this time would violate her rights under federal laws that protect people > with disabilities. > > Those laws require the school district to make " accommodations " for students with special needs but also bar the school from using different grading systems for those students. > > " This is very clear discrimination, " s said. " What they (school officials) did to this child was unspeakable. " > > Hornstine did not attend the hearing, which lasted more than three hours. > > " She's suffering this minute because of the stress (of the lawsuit), " s said. He said the girl's house was pelted with eggs early Sunday. > > The high school's second-ranked student, Mirkin, was in the courtroom. > > He later said Hornstine's ability to boost her average through home tutors " took advantage of " her fellow seniors. > > " I'm not concerned about my personal status, " said Mirkin, who will now take the salutatorian's spot under the rules in the stown student handbook. > > Both he and Hornstine plan to attend Harvard University in the fall. > > The school board was set to vote Monday on the policy change for graduation speakers. > > B. Comegno II, the attorney for Kadri and the school board, said the proposed change was a " clarification " that would only make Hornstine " share the stage " at the June 19 graduation ceremony. > > Hornstine's attorney saw it differently. > > " You think it's only a title, " he said. " Tell that to Muhammad Ali. " > > In her ruling, Wolfson said retroactive changes to school policy, as outlined in a handbook distributed to incoming freshmen and their parents, are illegal. > > Wolfson also brushed off arguments by the school board that Hornstine's father, Superior Court Judge Louis F. Hornstine, had threatened to manipulate rules to ensure his daughter's ranking. > > Wolfson noted that the school board had approved Blair Hornstine's curriculum and instructors under an Individualized Education Program (IEP) for the disabled student. > > " Are you now trying to penalize her for complying with an IEP they approved? " she asked. > > The case will move to a trial on damages. > > School board President Cyndy Wulfsberg said she did not know what the district would do next. " We're digesting the opinion, " she said. > http://www.southjerseynews.com/issues/may/m050903b.htm > > US pupil sues for being made to share top prize > By n Coman, in Washington > (Filed: 11/05/2003) > Friendly rivalry between pupils is usually a sign of a healthy school > environment. But at stown High School, New Jersey, the determination > of one star student to finish top of her class has enraged her peers and > led to a $2.7 million (£1.7 million) federal lawsuit. > > Blair Hornstine, a formidably intelligent and hard-working 18-year-old, > sued for damages after being told she must share a top student award with a > high-achieving rival who scored slightly lower marks in end-of-school tests. > Even in a society as notoriously litigious as America, the case of Blair L. > Hornstine vs stown Board of Education has raised eyebrows. Ms > Hornstine's school career is a glittering tale of accomplishment, prizes > and praise. Scholarships have netted her more than $10,000 in prize money. > The USA Today newspaper named her in its list of Academic All Americans, > supposedly the nation's finest brains. She is captain of the school's > debating team. Last December, President W. Bush presented her with > one of 20 President's Community Volunteer Awards for her work raising money > for disabled Chinese infants. She has already won a place at Harvard next > year. > In stown, a small town not far from Philadelphia, there is only one > prize left for her to win: the stown High School Valedictorian award, > given each June to the departing student with the highest grades. > The award, which can confer instant entry into an Ivy League college, is > fiercely contested at every school. America, however, has never seen > anything quite like the battle at stown High. > Ms Hornstine's school asked her to share the valedictorian with a rival, 18- > year-old Mirkin, despite the fact that, by pursuing a special > curriculum, she achieved the highest end-of-year grades. > In her final year, she scored 1,570 from a possible 1600 points. However, > because she suffers from an immune system disorder similar to chronic > fatigue syndrome, she was permitted to take half of her lessons at home. > As a result, says the local schools superintendent, Kadri, she could > choose classes offering a points total not available to her rivals - > raising concerns about " the fundamental fairness of the academic > competition " . The school board proposed that she share the prize with Mr > Mirkin, who it said might have gained the same total, given the same > concessions. > The Hornstine family's response was ferocious. Ms Hornstine's father, a > local judge, hired a criminal lawyer, Edwin s, whose last big case was > a high-profile New Jersey Mafia trial. > In papers presented to a federal court, he argued that the school > board " inaccurately " suggested Ms Hornstine was not top of her class, and > raised " a derogatory implication " that her performance was not what it > seemed. > " Rather than being lauded for her significant academic accomplishments, the > co-valedictorian status . . . will serve only to highlight the fact that > due to her disabling conditions, the defendants do not consider her > achievement to be on a par with that of a non-disabled student. " > Mr Mirkin has filed a counter-suit, claiming his right to share the award. > His lawyer, Frances Hartman, said: " The real bottom line is, there is no > harm to this young woman. " > Not for the first time, Ms Hornstine appears to be coming out on top. On > Thursday, in a provisional finding, District Judge Freda Wolfson issued a > temporary order preventing the school from giving the valedictorian award > to anyone else - and criticised the " strange and relentless " campaign by > the school board to make her share the honour. > Her case for damages and compensation is expected to go to trial later in > the year. Her initial victory, however, has come at a price. Eggs have been > thrown at the Hornstine family home. Classmates have queued up to denounce > Ms Hornstine's over-competitive nature on national television. > Prizegiving is on June 19. A full house is expected. > http://www.dailytelegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml? > xml=/news/2003/05/11/whorn11.xml & sSheet=/news/2003/05/11/ixworld.html > > > > > Click reply to all for messages to go to the list. Just hit reply for messages to go to the sender of the message. > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 12, 2003 Report Share Posted May 12, 2003 In a message dated 5/12/03 7:18:46 AM Central Daylight Time, wildwards@... writes: > In the lawsuit, Ms. Hornstine asked for $200,000 in compensatory damages and > $2.5 million in punitive damages. Judge Wolfson is expected to address > those requests in a later ruling, Mr. s said. Actually IMO (lol) if this was just a law suit to not have to share the honor with anyone else, which I could understand, then they wouldn't be asking for so much in compensation and punitive damages, their asking for so much money makes them look excessively greedy. As I said, just my opinion. :-) Joy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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