A high school in Texas found itself in a legal dispute after a heated disagreement arose over the title of valedictorian. The conflict involved two students who both claimed to be the top graduate of their class.
In January, senior Nathan Olivarri was named valedictorian at Legacy The School for Sport Sciences, a charter school located in Spring, Texas. However, by February, the school announced that a junior who had decided to graduate early actually had the highest GPA and would be awarded the honor instead.
According to court records obtained by KTRK-TV, Olivarri had a GPA of 4.4547, while the unnamed junior had a GPA of 4.6530. The lawsuit filed by Olivarri’s family argued that the junior’s GPA was calculated incorrectly and that it was too late in the academic year to change the designation, as outlined in the student handbook.
The judge ultimately ruled in favor of Olivarri’s family, ordering that the senior would be recognized as valedictorian and allowed to deliver a speech at the graduation ceremony.
“I am thankful to the courthouse for realizing who the true valedictorian is, and I’m thankful to my parents for always supporting me through everything,” Nathan Olivarri told KTRK-TV.
The school responded to the legal action by stating that the junior was not the only student who had chosen to graduate early, which led to changes in the class ranking. It also mentioned that GPAs were calculated according to state guidelines and were announced correctly.
Additionally, the school conducted an independent investigation and had its board review the situation. Both the investigation and the board review concluded that the GPAs were calculated accurately and that the school was not at fault for naming the junior as valedictorian.
The Independent has reached out to Legacy The School for Sport Sciences for further information.
In a statement provided to the TV station, the school emphasized that its “unwavering focus has always been and will remain on honoring the dedication and hard work of every one of our students.”
Meanwhile, the Olivarri family expressed gratitude to the judge for the ruling. The graduation ceremony took place this past weekend, and Nathan delivered his speech.
“A lot of this could have been avoided, but it’s the past; we’re putting it behind us,” said Vincent Olivarri, Nathan’s father.
The school’s founder mentioned to the outlet that the legal process is still ongoing.
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