A high school valedictorian went scorched-earth in her graduation speech, tearing into teachers and school staff and going viral in the process. Nataly Buhr, valedictorian at San Ysidro High School in San Diego, started off by thanking a few teachers, but then put the rest of the school staff on blast, ripping into counselors, teachers, and administrative workers who "had absolutely no role in my achievements". She accused the "main office staff" of costing her thousands of dollars by not notifying her of potential scholarships, and referenced a teacher who "was regularly intoxicated during class", who taught students a lesson "about the dangers of alcoholism".
“Thanks for teaching me to fend for myself: You were always unavailable to my parents and I, despite appointments,” she said to her counselor.
“You expressed to me your joy in knowing that one of your students was valedictorian, when you had absolutely no role in my achievements.”
“Your negligence to inform me of several scholarships until the day before they were due potentially caused me to miss out on thousands of dollars,” she said. “When applying for a work permit, you repeatedly turned me away, despite confirming with my employer and my parents that all of my paperwork was filled out correctly. I’ve had to escalate issues with staff to an assistant principal various times to reach any sort of solution." to the staff of the high school.
A spokesperson for the Sweetwater Union School District called the speech "inappropriate and out of line". Nataly's mother says she's "proud that she spoke up and got it out".