“To my counselor: Thank you for teaching me to fend for myself,”

[Swirlz]

Valedictorian Unleashes Searing Rebuke Of High School Staff In Speech | HuffPost

A San Diego high school valedictorian began her graduation speech as most do ― by thanking her parents and role models. Then she unleashed a firestorm of criticism against her guidance counselor, main office staff and a teacher she accused of being drunk on the job.

Nataly Buhr, a San Ysidro High School senior, elicited a roar of shouts and applause from her peers in the crowd during the June 6 commencement ceremony when she called out “the teacher who was regularly intoxicated during class this year.”

 

[JDG]

I'll never forget the old bat who was my guidance counsellor. We had never met, she'd never set eyes on me but she happily told my 'overly strict' father that if I applied myself, I could be THE top student in the school!!!

To say he was a little peeved when I got home, is an understatement. I handed him my 100% mark, history exam and said 'its tough at the top, when did you get 100% Dad??'

One of our girls had a math teacher who had failed math, so could not explain anything. She read paperback novels in class, still pulled her pay check and the kids had to get tutors. SMH

There are some excellent teachers, some mediocre teachers and some downright awful teachers.

Wish we had had cell phones/video in my day.

 

[Cubby]

I have to respectfully disagree with this students approach. She made this all about herself. More of the me, me, me, its all about me mentality.

Alcoholism is a disease, would she have called out and berated a teacher for any other illness? High school guidance counselors aren't hand holders expected to do everything for the students. This student should have been doing this research herself, with the assistance of her counselor. Emphasis on the word assistance. Did she even mention her classmates? Only to the extent of what they did for her.

As for her potential future employers, I am certain they will consider how she took the opportunity to publicly slam and humiliate anyone who didn't live up to her expectations or suffered a debilitating disease.

Not cool. #natalybuhr

 

[human]

I think a counselor should be helping students, That is what they are paid to do.

Alcoholism is a disease that is aided by enablers. I would guess plenty knew the teacher was drunk. The teacher should not have been allowed to teach. Calling an alcoholic out may break the denial.

Doing it at the valedictorian speech? Probably not a good time but maybe the only time people would listen

 

[Elley Mae]

I have to respectfully disagree with this students approach. She made this all about herself. More of the me, me, me, its all about me mentality.

Alcoholism is a disease, would she have called out and berated a teacher for any other illness? High school guidance counselors aren't hand holders expected to do everything for the students. This student should have been doing this research herself, with the assistance of her counselor. Emphasis on the word assistance. Did she even mention her classmates? Only to the extent of what they did for her.

As for her potential future employers, I am certain they will consider how she took the opportunity to publicly slam and humiliate anyone who didn't live up to her expectations or suffered a debilitating disease.

Not cool. #natalybuhr

JMO

I have never been on board with people that drink liquor/alcohol as having a disease, to me it’s an addiction just like smoking cigs or doing heroin, you choose to do it, ppl don’t choose to get heart disease or cancer. It gives drunks an excuse to drink.


I loved her speech, she was speaking her mind and telling the truth.

Jmo

 

[JDG]

^^^^ That! Totally agree, its a lifestyle choice. IMO

As for the Valedictorian speaking of *inappropriate* behaviour of staff, free speech still exists and from the response to her comments, it seems that many others agreed whole heartedly. IMO

She is obviously a very smart young woman or she wouldn't be valedictorian. IMO

 

[PrairieWind]

Well, thats probably the last valedictorian speech that high school will have!

 

[SugarQueen]

DS graduated high school last year. I wanted his take. He thinks it’s totally inappropriate. His take .... it is one thing to mention shortcomings in passing. If they are mentioned it should either have a little humor added, or a hope for improvement. He feels it is NEVER ok to call out specific people. As for the drinking teacher, he said IF the school had done nothing MAYBE bringing it up is ok. Since the school did act he feels it was totally wrong to bring it up.
Honestly, the first thing he said is the counselors, and office staff are there to help you. It is NOT there job to tell you about every scholarship.

 

[Cubby]

JMO

I have never been on board with people that drink liquor/alcohol as having a disease, to me it’s an addiction just like smoking cigs or doing heroin, you choose to do it, ppl don’t choose to get heart disease or cancer. It gives drunks an excuse to drink.


I loved her speech, she was speaking her mind and telling the truth.

Jmo

I respectfully disagree. No one chooses to become an alcoholic or addict. No more than they choose to get cancer, diabetes, or high blood pressure. The choice exists with getting treatment . Alcoholics/addicts choose to treat their disease or not treat their disease.

Addiction is often a symptom of undiagnosed/untreated mental illness. Overall, until society recognizes mental illness and addiction as the disease they are rather than a personal shortcoming, we will continue to see the chaos we're used to seeing in the daily news.

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

Well, thats probably the last valedictorian speech that high school will have!

Seems the valedictory address wasn't previewed by faculty and/or staff. DD was Valedictorian of her class in 1991. Her speech was reviewed by an English teacher and the admissions director. DD asked if her dad and I if we wanted to hear the speech (she was at boarding school), but we told her that we preferred to hear the speech at commencement. The Salutatorian's speech was also reviewed by two faculty members prior to graduation.

 

[FrostOwl]

I respectfully disagree. No one chooses to become an alcoholic or addict. No more than they choose to get cancer, diabetes, or high blood pressure. The choice exists with getting treatment . Alcoholics/addicts choose to treat their disease or not treat their disease.

Addiction is often a symptom of undiagnosed/untreated mental illness. Overall, until society recognizes mental illness and addiction as the disease they are rather than a personal shortcoming, we will continue to see the chaos we're used to seeing in the daily news.

Most people with cancer, diabetes or high blood pressure chose to get treatment, and usually their children are not too affected by their parents illness, and those illnesses can be prevented to a degree. A child who have grown up in a family with alcoholism, or other substance abuse, even when the facade of the family is "perfect", has most likely suffered a traumatic childhood and carries that trauma on to their own children. How many of those children who have been killed or abused by their parents on this forum come from dysfunctional families with a history of alcohol and/or other drug abuse that's gone on for generations?

 

[Cubby]

Many people who are addicts also choose to get treatment. We don't hear about them because they aren't acting erratically making the news, and hippa.

We have many more options for treatment in this generation than in previous generations.

Mental illness treatment in this country sucks. Self medication leads to addiction. We need to treat the mental illness to alleviate addiction. Preventative medicine for M.I. not just treatment after the fact. Stigma prevents treatment.... and that leads back to the vicious cycle demonstrated by this valedictorian, as well as tons of others in all kinds of situations.

It's difficult for those with mental illness and addiction to take the initial steps to get help. Behavior such as this valedictorian does more to cause those suffering to further isolate themselves and not get help to treat their illness.

 

[FrostOwl]

Or wake them up when they learn that their "secret habit" is not as secret as they think it is, and get them to seek help.

 

[human]

The enabling stopped right then and there

 

[FrostOwl]

The enabling stopped right then and there

Yes, there are always people around the alcoholic who enables him/her, and too often they don't think what harm their silence does to children in the family. https://www.psychiatryadvisor.com/h...hildren-of-alcoholics-healing-lifelong-scars/

 

[Swirlz]

she called out “the teacher who was regularly intoxicated during class this year.”

I can't believe this was allowed to go on. Good on her for speaking up about it.

 

[Kakidoll]

The word 'addiction' is now used as a cop-out. I'm addicted to Benvita Chocolate cookies. I could eat them all the time every day. Someone says.. "put the cookies down and step away" Boom, someone calls me out on it, i don't LIKE it but fine, i will stop with the daily cookie binge. Its called self responsibility. You CHOOSE to change yor behavior. And Yes, my Mother was and alcoholic and chain smoker, she was 'addicted'. Still HER CHOICE. Not a mental illness. She taught school for 40 years. NO ONE will every convince me that addiction can not be overcome with strong will or conviction, or support system, whatever that person needs. But that person MUST make the choice, you can't do it for them. If they don't CARE, then THAT is part of the addiction. ETA. Some drugs WILL require intervention and physical help, i understand that. but that doesn't mean its a DISEASE. You have no CHOICE in getting MOST diseases.

 

[TaylorJ4]

Addiction is a disease...truly.

 

[FrostOwl]

Addiction is a disease...truly.

No, I don't believe addiction in itself is a disease, but being an addict causes changes in the brain chemistry and the brain itself, and it's those changes in the brain that makes addiction to a disease. I come from a family background where there are many members who are alcoholics, and if alcohol addiction was a disease, then I should be an alcoholic myself, but I drink alcohol very seldom, nor use any other drugs, as I know that I most likely have a higher risk to get caught in an addiction than people who don't have a history of addiction. I don't believe anyone is predicted to become an addict, it's more like a choice, not a conscious choice, it's like a refusal to believe that there is a risk for "me" to get caught in an addiction, that it's something that happens to others.

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

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