MELROSE, MASS. (WHDH) - Melrose High School held its graduation Friday and for the first time ever, the school did not name a valedictorian for the Class of 2016.
Melrose Superintendent Cyndy Taymore said two years ago, the district decided to eliminate class rankings. School officials said that the belief is that it was putting 90 percent of students without top grades at a disadvantage for scholarships. Taymore said all of Melrose’s students are high-achieving and should not be pitted against one another.
Parents and students had mixed feelings about the change. While some were not bothered, others felt that those who work hard for good grades should be acknowledged.
“If you struggle to get to the top of your class, why shouldn’t you at least be rewarded with something?” said Melrose High School alum Debbie Maher.
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