NCS Commencement Speaker is a Graduating Senior’s mom?!?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The parent of one of my classmates spoke at my graduation (private all girls school in another city). I don’t think it’s tacky at all or in any way takes away from her daughter. Presumably her DD was okay with it or she wouldn’t be doing it. To each their own, but I think many would feel that hearing your accomplished mother speak at your graduation would make the day more special.

It's the over exposure. The girls have listened to her MANY TIMES before. The parents have had her as the emcee at the Auction MANY TIMES. HOS Scully often walks past other parents just to schmooze with Norah. It's gross and a lazy choice.

So your issue is the over exposure of the speaker not that she’s the mother of a student. Sounds like you don’t like this lady and it’s tacky for you to drag the daughter into it.

I am not the OP. I don't know this woman, but it is lazy of the HOS to keep using the same person as a speaker for this class.

Are there dozens of accomplished, well known people not associated with NCS willing to speak for free? I doubt it. NCS isn’t Harvard. I’m impressed they managed to have someone I’ve heard of-even if she’s a parent at the school.

[Anonymous]

You're ridiculous. I went to NCS in the late 80s. Every year the speaker was the most prominent partent in the class. Always. Who else would they get? A random comedian? An obscure academic? Why?

[Anonymous]

This happens all the time. I have never heard anyone complain when a parent is also the graduation speaker. It’s not a wedding where Mom shows up in white.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The parent of one of my classmates spoke at my graduation (private all girls school in another city). I don’t think it’s tacky at all or in any way takes away from her daughter. Presumably her DD was okay with it or she wouldn’t be doing it. To each their own, but I think many would feel that hearing your accomplished mother speak at your graduation would make the day more special.

It's the over exposure. The girls have listened to her MANY TIMES before. The parents have had her as the emcee at the Auction MANY TIMES. HOS Scully often walks past other parents just to schmooze with Norah. It's gross and a lazy choice.

So your issue is the over exposure of the speaker not that she’s the mother of a student. Sounds like you don’t like this lady and it’s tacky for you to drag the daughter into it.

I am not the OP. I don't know this woman, but it is lazy of the HOS to keep using the same person as a speaker for this class.

Sure.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So this is how NCS moms get their rep.

Someone has an ax to grind.

Yes! Norah O'Donnell is living rent free in OP's head.

[Anonymous]

The dad of one of my FCPS high school classmates was our grad speaker. He was someone high up in the Reagan administration. No one cared.

[Anonymous]

I went to both HS and college of a famous person. His dad spoke at both graduations, no one batted an eye.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Did anyone complain when Jose Andreas did his DD commencement at SR?

I think you are being sexist.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Isn't this really common? My wife's graduation speaker was an actor who had a kid in the class.

Yes, our high school routinely has parents or grandparents of some note. This is hardly anything new or unique. And Nora O'donnell is a wonderful role model.

+1.

[Anonymous]

This is frequently done at many schools. At STA the tradition every year is to have a parent of the class be the commencement speaker. Or at least that was the case when my son was there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The parent of one of my classmates spoke at my graduation (private all girls school in another city). I don’t think it’s tacky at all or in any way takes away from her daughter. Presumably her DD was okay with it or she wouldn’t be doing it. To each their own, but I think many would feel that hearing your accomplished mother speak at your graduation would make the day more special.

It's the over exposure. The girls have listened to her MANY TIMES before. The parents have had her as the emcee at the Auction MANY TIMES. HOS Scully often walks past other parents just to schmooze with Norah. It's gross and a lazy choice.

+1. It comes across as very lazy. “Oh just call Norah, she’ll do it.”

[Anonymous]

My undergrad had a politician reach out and suggest he would be graduation speaker the year his son was graduating. The school suggested he be speaker the following year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Nora O’Donnell is an amazing woman but I think it’s a bit tacky to be the commencement speaker at your eldest daughter’s graduation. Another year when you don’t have a graduating senior (so not next year either)? Sure! But, do you really have to take the focus of your daughter, even on her graduation? Let her shine instead of plugging your upcoming book release,

Like I said already…Tacky!!!

If my parents were accomplished and deserving of a speaker’s role, I would be ecstatic and proud to have them speak at my graduation.

+ 1.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The parent of one of my classmates spoke at my graduation (private all girls school in another city). I don’t think it’s tacky at all or in any way takes away from her daughter. Presumably her DD was okay with it or she wouldn’t be doing it. To each their own, but I think many would feel that hearing your accomplished mother speak at your graduation would make the day more special.

It's the over exposure. The girls have listened to her MANY TIMES before. The parents have had her as the emcee at the Auction MANY TIMES. HOS Scully often walks past other parents just to schmooze with Norah. It's gross and a lazy choice.

So your issue is the over exposure of the speaker not that she’s the mother of a student. Sounds like you don’t like this lady and it’s tacky for you to drag the daughter into it.

I am not the OP. I don't know this woman, but it is lazy of the HOS to keep using the same person as a speaker for this class.

Are there dozens of accomplished, well known people not associated with NCS willing to speak for free? I doubt it. NCS isn’t Harvard. I’m impressed they managed to have someone I’ve heard of-even if she’s a parent at the school.

There are many accomplished alums.

[Anonymous]

This isn't zero-sum, OP. One spotlight doesn't cancel out the other.

I thought it was usual to invite the parent of a graduating student to speak, if they have a big enough stature and they agree.

Now if you think this parent has already been offered a platform many times and the students need to hear from someone new, that's an entirely different argument and I would tend to agree, in theory (I don't know anyone at NCS).