RRRibbit

You knew this was coming...

Once upon a time, there was a super Super named Timmy. On Graduation Day, Timmy spoke of a challenging day that he had at the beginning of the year. He shared his tale with 450 of Mt. Lebanon's finest students.

The graduates were sitting on the edge of their chairs in anticipation of the super Super's words of wisdom.

Timmy began his Commencement speech. He started with a story about an incident that occurred at the construction site.

Super Timmy told these students about a group of frogs which showed up on the job site. These were not ordinary frogs, but magical, talking frogs.

The children in the stadium were spell bound. "In our land of unicorns and rainbows, Mt. Lebanon also has magical, talking frogs," they whispered to their parents and grandparents.

But the grads stared in disbelief. "Oh no! Our super Super is giving the wrong speech," they proclaimed. They were horrified that Timmy was giving his kindergartner speech. 

The next day, Timmy was the talk of the town.

But here is the rest of the story. Timmy's magical, talking frog jumped out and was immediately hit by a construction truck.

This story does have a happy ending. Timmy gets a huge raise and lives happily ever after.

The End

Commencement Speech

The following letter was emailed to the School Board, and cc'ed to the Almanac, the editors at Blog-Lebo, and me from a "Mt. Lebanon resident" with a Yahoo address.  I applaud this student for taking the time to write an excellent letter.  The English Department should be very proud.
Elaine

To Whom It May Concern:

It was only after reading Steve Diaz’s open letter regarding President Posti’s speech to the graduating class of 2011 that I felt confident about expressing my own view on the subject—and, for that matter, the view of several other students and parents with whom I’ve discussed the speech in question.  I am a current student at the high school, and as I sat amongst hundreds of others in the bleachers on graduation day, I could hardly believe the words broadcast over the speaker system.  I was not alone; as she spoke, my entire section, adults and kids alike, exchanged a variety of looks (boredom, disbelief, shock), and I assure you, none of them were positive.

Posti’s (unnecessarily long) speech could be described in many ways, but the word to which I keep returning is simply “condescending.”  Condescending to the audience, which was forced to listen as the speaker droned on in a monotone about her entire life and career.  (For the future:  In general, only celebrities and third-world refugees can get away with doing that.)  Condescending to adult professionals who actually chose the career path that was right for them and stuck to it; she seemed to discount that as old-fashioned.  But most importantly, it was condescending to the graduates, who were told to relinquish whatever big dreams they have for their futures in favor of serving none other than the Mt. Lebanon community. 

My family is not originally from Mt. Lebanon, but I have lived here nearly all of my life.  In that time, I’ve grown to understand and respect the fact that a good number of current adult residents are alumni of Mt. Lebanon High School, and that they have deep ties to the community.  Many students, as well, plan to live in or around the area after—or during—college.  But to tell a class of intelligent and motivated young adults that their life goals should ultimately be put on hold so that they can repay their childhood community is completely backwards.  That type of attitude an exaggerated characature of a Mt. Lebanon resident—the narrow-minded snob who has never lived anywhere else and therefore believes the welfare of his beloved high school is superior to any other cause.  Are there people like that here?  Sure.  But they are not the norm.  I truly believe that despite their own love for this community, most parents genuinely encourage their children to explore and make the right life choices for themselves.

Posti’s speech did not reflect the view of the residents of this community.  It did not enthuse and it did not leave listeners with anything other than the bitter taste of yet another elected official who does not truly understand his or her own constituency.  It was not appropriate for any gathering, but it was especially inappropriate as a commencement speech.  My family is friends with a few school board members, and I am confident that those members, who I know and like very much, agree with at least some of the criticism expressed by me and others in the community.  I am doubtful that they will rise to the occasion and respond publicly, but I wish they would.  Again, I’m not alone in that sentiment.

Perhaps next year a better approach would be to instead feature two student speakers.  If this year was any indication, the students have a much better grasp on how to speak to an audience and write to inspire.

-A Student

Why We Fail

The following letter was submitted by resident, Steve Diaz, to the School Board this morning.  It is being reprinted here with his permission.

Members of the School Board:  I have taken a couple of days to reflect on the worst commencement speech ever given.  In stark contrast to the brilliant and eloquent valedictory remarks that were flawlessly delivered by one of our graduates, your president rose to offer the most narrow-minded, provincial, anti-intellectual and anti-democratic utterance ever heard on academic ground.  Josephine Posti actually told our graduates that they should surround themselves only with sycophants and "walk away" from voices not completely consistent with their own.  Really?  Is that sound advice to rising university students who are about to embark on the greatest period of intellectual discovery for them since they left their cribs?  Actually, and unfortunately, it is an accurate statement of Ms. Posti's own state of mind--and a reflection of the very reason this school board has failed to inspire this community to a common rallying point.  Can such nonsense truly reflect the official education policy of the Mt. Lebanon School Board?  

President Posti's remarks were written (she even told us herself what great writer she is), and I encourage her to publish the full and exact, unedited, text of her commencement remarks for the whole community to read - and judge - for themselves.  Beyond droll (which may only reflect her lack of public speaking ability)--her remarks were banal, uninspired, and even thoughtless.  The policy content -- to avoid dissenting voices -- was unworthy of academic tradition and unacceptable coming from an elected official.  I doubt she will publish her full remarks on the local blogs (all of them, I suggest) because she is probably ashamed of what she said in the cold light of the "morning after."  I trust that each of you is equally embarrassed by such a misguided theme.  

I call upon the school board to adopt a resolution separating itself and the policy of this school district from the remarks of President Posti.  You are on record, whether you vote or not, as endorsing what she said if you do not condemn it, or of shared responsibility for her parochial polemic by actively approving it.  Either way, unless you formally reject the unfortunate commencement "advice" of your president, you reveal yourselves.  One thing to be said about President Posti's remarks is that they were entirely consistent with the conduct of the school board during the Act 34 process, which you mocked exactly by following her advice to the graduates, totally ignoring all voices not your own or supportive of your preconceived notions (and we all know how that turned out).  It is time for our school district to change course: stand up for respect for differing opinions; stand up for the open-minded exchange of ideas; stand up for the democratic principle; and, stand up for the power of genuine intellectual inquiry in the search for truth (and it is a search because we must always admit the possibility that any of us could be wrong on any issue).  Therefore, I call on you to act in the face of the overt threat of anti-intellectualism and anti-democratic tendencies on our elected school board.

Respectfully.  Steve Diaz