The way I see it, if my kid was graduating as valedictorian of his high school class, I'd be so deliriously happy and proud I wouldn't care what kind of a commencement address he gave. Shoot, he could get up there and sing Old McDonald Had a Farm -- he's valedictorian, woo-hoo! That's my boy! But I have to admit, the speech Orestimba High School valedictorian Saul Tello, Jr. gave at his graduation does kind of tug at the maternal heart strings.
It wasn't the content of the speech so much as the way he chose to deliver it: In Spanish, to honor his Spanish-speaking parents. Awww.
Of course, not everybody in the audience understood Spanish, which led to a bit of a problem.
More from The Stir: 'You Are Not Special' Graduation Speech Is One Every Kid Needs to Hear (VIDEO)
Now, on the one hand, I get why non-Spanish-speaking audience members were upset -- it would kind of stink to not understand a word of the speech at your kid's graduation. But here's the thing: Originally, Saul Tello wanted to give the speech in both English and Spanish, but his principal, Jessie Ceja, told him there wouldn't be enough time. So Tello chose Spanish, for his parents' sake.
As a mom, I find that incredibly sweet. Plus, bear in mind that the population of California is 38% Latino. I'm sure his gesture was widely appreciated.
Apparently the school is planning to include inserts printed with both Spanish and English versions of the speech in future graduation programs, which seems like an excellent solution to me. Good luck, Saul!
Do you think giving his commencement address in Spanish was the right thing for this valedictorian to do?
Image via Dave Herholz/Flickr
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Comments 80
Yes, I do. I'm not a fan of everything being in english and spanish these days, but it is his speech. He should be free to say it in whatever language he wants so long as he isn't saying anything offensive. Yeah, it would have stunk to not understand most of what he was saying, but I really don't think it should be a big deal. Maybe he could have done it half and half? Or perhaps the school should have had a printed version of the speech in english. That would have solved the whole not understanding it part.
Cee - what about the people that come here and don't want to learn English? That statement goes both ways. I know english is a hard language to learn, but I have friends from other countries whose parents refuse to even try to learn English. I think everyone should know the language of their land(or culture) as well as another one. I'm currently working on that myself though I have already taken 4 years of spanish and 2 of french in high school and college.
He worked hard to become Valedictorian and his reward he gets to give the speech he gets to say what he wants to, how he wants to, as long as nothing inappropriatewas said I have no problem with it. He did earn it after all. I wouldn't have been able to understand a word he said but who cares it's always the same mambo jumbo "fallow your dreams!" "We did it!" "every one's special bla bla ect"