To the editor:
I conducted a casual survey of what comes to people’s minds when they
think commencement address or graduation speaker. I’ve heard numerous
variations of these themes: inspirational, motivational and humorous.
At Kennebunk High School’s ceremony, we were treated to two
wonderfully articulate and thoughtful speeches by Kennebunk seniors
Janelle Sherman and Hannah Rolland, the valedictorian and salutatorian,
respectively.
Up next came economics teacher Sean Watson to deliver the always
highly anticipated keynote address. Suffice it to say it was quite
nontraditional, indeed. Rather than set the class of 2012’s spirits
aflame with resolute and passionate affirmations for their futures, his
words focused on what I perceived to be a thinly veiled conservative
credo.
He admonished graduates to think about the world as if we were all
toddlers playing in a sandbox. Life isn’t fair, Watson offered and the
have-nots are not to be coddled with any toy redistribution. He seemed
to suggest that it is not productive to cry out when we see injustice,
such as marriage inequality or economic under-privilege. Nor is it truly
ethical to extend equal access policies for jobs and education to
minorities (both can be so easily stated if one happens to be a white,
heterosexual male).
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