Congradulations 'Position In Margaret Talbot's' Best In Class

Congradulations class of (insert any graduating year). These are the words that come out of every single high school valedictorian since the beginnings of its creation. In the eyes of many students, the valedictorian is the most intelligent and hard working student in their school. What seems like a mildly important position has stirred some controversy among the students who aim to achieve that position. Margaret Talbot in Best In Class uses anecdotes and appeals to logos in order to show that the position of valedictorian should move to a more friendlier position. In order to show her audience how high school students view the position of valedictorian, Talbot uses several anecdotes to convey her message. She first tells the audience of the

As a result, one student learned of this loophole and”arranged to take extra courses during his senior year”(223). With this anecdote, Talbot shows the audience of the competitiveness of valedictorian. This instance at Saratoga exhibits the extremes that students will go to gain that spot on the podium, without questioning their methods to reach them. Similarly, other students such as Audrey Lin “cheated to get to the top in high school”(231). These unethical methods to attain valedictorian have caused trouble among those competing for it; subsequently, parents like those of Stephanie Klotz “complained first to the principal, then… to the school board”(228). They were so upset that they “hired a lawyer and sued the school district, the superintendent, and the principal of Valley View”(228). Talbot’s use of these anecdotes show that it has been taken too seriously and that some have gone overboard. When another student sued their school district over valedictorian, the judge ruled that Moorestown High School “‘heightens the levels of competition by naming a valedictorian’”(227). This anecdote of