Hornstine v. Township of Moorestown
Hornstine v. Moorestown | |
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F. Supp. 2d 887 | |
Court membership | |
Judge(s) sitting | Freda L. Wolfson |
Hornstine v. Moorestown, 263 F. Supp. 2d 887 (D.N.J. 2003), was a 2003 case in the
Valedictorian controversy
Under the published school board policy for the 2002–2003 academic year, the graduating senior student with the highest seventh semester weighted
In the fall of 2002, Moorestown Superintendent of Schools Paul J. Kadri was approached by "parents, students, and other community members" who complained that "students were not provided equal opportunities to earn the awards" because of accommodations granted to Hornstine. Kadri held meetings at the high school in early 2003 in which he discussed changing the school policy to allow multiple valedictorians. In April, Kadri proposed an amendment to the existing policy that read, "In determining the recipients of [the awards of valedictorian and salutatorian], the Board may review the program of study, manner of instruction, and other relevant issues, and in its discretion, with the assistance of the administration, may designate multiple valedictorians and/or salutatorians to ensure that all students have an equal opportunity to compete for these awards." The proposal was to be voted on by the school board on May 12.
Suit
On May 1, Hornstine filed a complaint in
Blair Hornstine was classified with a disability, reportedly a type of
The court rejected those claims pointing out that the runner up had taken two more AP courses than Hornstine, and while she had taken three more honors courses than the runner up, the net result was a statistical advantage for the runner up. The Court also examined and rejected claims that she was graded less stringently.[1]
Superintendent Kadri claimed that Hornstine's father, a New Jersey Superior Court judge in Camden County, had told him in September that "he was going to manipulate rules designed to protect disabled students for the purpose of allowing [Blair Hornstine] to win the valedictorian award".[4] Judge Hornstine denied making those statements and the assistant superintendent of schools, Judithann Keefe, who was present at the September meeting, filed an affidavit contradicting her boss and supporting Judge Hornstine's account of what was said there.[2]
Local and later national media focused intense attention on the case, leading to talk-radio scorn and an online petition calling for Harvard University to revoke Hornstine's admission to the school. Following investigation, Harvard University did revoke her admission after finding that Hornstine had plagiarized an essay she had written for a local paper.[5][6]
Injunction granted and settlement
On May 8, 2003, U.S. District Judge
The Court found that Hornstine met the conditions for issuing an injunction, including a likelihood of prevailing on the merits of her case. In addition to finding that "the Board's proposed action was intended and designed to have a particular exclusionary effect on [the] plaintiff because of her disabled status," the Court cited a ruling by the New Jersey Commissioner of Education in a case in which there was no disability issue and that barred a retroactive change to requirements for the award of valedictorian.[1]: §IV-A
On June 10, Hornstine, through her lawyer, Edwin Jacobs, informed the school that she would not attend graduation, which was held on June 19, and requested her valedictorian award be made in absentia, saying, "the hostile environment at the school has traumatized Blair both physically and emotionally." Her house had been hit by eggs and paintballs, and she had received a threatening letter.[2] Hornstine's claim for compensatory and punitive damages was settled on August 19 for $60,000, including $45,000 in legal fees.[7]
See also
- Class rank – Compares students performance
- Dean's list – Academic award
- Grade inflation – Awarding higher grades than deserved
- Salutatorian – Second highest-ranking student in a class
- Valedictorian – Highest-ranked graduate
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h Hornstine v. Township of Moorestown, 263 F. Supp. 2d 887 (D.N.J. 2003).
- ^ a b c d Jonathan V. Last (July 7, 2003). "First in Her Class". The Weekly Standard. Retrieved January 28, 2008.
- ^ Joanne Jacobs (May 9, 2003). "Demographics, Nerves, Valedictorian, Vouchers". Fox News. Retrieved October 19, 2007.
- ^ Goldman, John J. (May 8, 2003). "Student Sues to Be a Sole Valedictorian" (fee required). The Nation. Los Angeles Times. p. A27. Retrieved October 19, 2007.
- ^ Lombardi, Kate Stone (June 29, 2008). "The Joy of Graduating". The New York Times.
- ^ Strauss, Robert (June 8, 2003). "A Valedictory Mess at Moorestown High". Up Front: Worth Noting. New York Times. Retrieved October 19, 2007.
- ^ Capuzzo, Jill P. (August 20, 2003). "Valedictorian Settles Dispute With Schools For $60,000". The New York Times. Retrieved September 3, 2013.
External links
- Text of is available from: Google Scholar Justia
- BLAIR HORNSTINE: CONCLUSION 2009-06-03