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‘You Are Not Special’ High School Commencement Speech

Wellesley High School English teacher David McCullough, Jr.’s faculty gives an unexpected and poignant speech to the Class of 2012 last Friday.

 
 
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  • jb80538

    He’s right. Good speech!

  • FormerLadyLaw

    This is one of the best ever commencement speeches I’ve ever heard.  I wish I had heard that some 47 years ago!  Of course, things during that “Dark Ages” period were a whole lot different than they are now, in this
    time period.  “Back then,” we learned respect for others and ourselves, we learned true history of our own
    Country and others, we learned “The King’s English” so to speak, not all the four-letter words used today at
    any given time, place, or moment, we learned pride in the high school we attended, there was school spirit
    that somehow has been erased in this time period.  There were no uniformed law enforcement personnel
    on a permanent basis inside the school.  I don’t recall a “locker search” for illegal drugs/weapons.  I truly
    feel sad for the graduates of 2011, they face hardship in finding work, tougher to get into a college and/or
    university and even worse, some of those institutions of “higher learning?” are in the top ten “party
    schools.”  We have one of ‘em right here where I live.  I can recall with clarity when the PA voice came
    over the loudspeaker system announcing that Pres. Kennedy had been fatally wounded.  I recall having
    my father accompany me to the funeral home where the young man was that took me to the senior
    prom, he’d been returned from VietNam & his name IS on “The Wall.”

    I truly hope the graduates of this high school where the address “You Are Not Special,” was given, did
    actually listen to what this gentleman had to say.  I find it a life-changing challenge and speech.

  • Mary

    Inspiring! However, I was taught by Nuns at a Catholic high school – back in the day – and they would not have tolerated all the head bobbing and turning and inattention these grads displayed toward the speaker. For us it was heads forward, eyes glued to the speaker and full attention to what was being said. My, how standards  have deteriorated.

  • RaptureReady888

    The Real TRUTH is you are very special! Jesus died on the cross for you! Just one of thousands of PROOFs that the #1 selling book in the history of the world is TRUTH!!!>>>The Exact Date Israel Became A Nation Is Easily Calculated From The Scriptures Using Ezekiel 4:4-8 & Leviticus 26:18,21,24+28. Take The Penalty(390>Israel’s Punishment + 40>Judah’s Punishment=430 Years, Subtract 70 Years, Since These Were The Years Already Served By Israel While In Babylonian Captivity. Total Then = 360 Years. Multiply 360 Times Seven (As We Are Instructed To Do Repeatedly Here In Leviticus since 90% of the Jews rebelled against God failing to return to Jerusalem). Remember Our Total Is Now 2,520 Years Of Punishment Remaining For Israel. Now Add The 2,520 Years To The Year & The Month Of Nisan In Which Israel’s Babylonian Captivity By King Cyrus Ended(Nehemiah 2:1), Which Is Our Point Of Reference From The Bible. Wow, This Will Bring Us To Hebrew Year 5708 & The Exact Date Israel Became A Nation! But This Means Little To Westerners Who Go By The Gregorian Calendar. Hey. This Date Is May 14th 1948!
    The G-d of Is-rael=Is-real !!! http://www.BibleProvenTrue.com

  • American

    That teacher is the one who isn’t special, he isn’t even a decent teacher, but with the unions good teachers are a thing of the past.

  • American

    Our schools have been invaded by liberal commies and socialists that the unions drug in to teach our kids how to be good commies and queers and socialists. America has gone to hell, all those soldiers who fought to keep us free died for nothing, the queers and commies and thugs have taken over America, and they didn’t fire a shot to do it.

  • rulken1

    Spoken like a true Socialist!

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=700967063 Brandon Vallorani

    Great speech. These points needed to be made. I don’t think it was necessary, however, to undermine the institution of marriage. Instead of joking about it, he could have inspired these students to be faithful. Other than that, great stuff.

  • Stevo

    Only one man was perfect and it is not David Mccullough. yes, we were created in God’s image.(My belief in Bible)  The young adults graduating, unless spiritually trained, did not think twice about not being “special” and if they did it certainly was not the point of the speech. If we are always looking for wrong and focusing our energy on wrong, be careful you do not become embittered. “take heed”…. “remove the plank”……
    and….. reality is that marriage does fail(God tells us why) If that caused a fraction of the young minds to think twice about marrying after a first date, than wonderful! Be slow to judge….. and go help someone…. or better yet
    go give your own speeches!!