Disney's image, No more valedictorians
A Sikh man is suing the Disney corporation, claiming he was turned down for a job at Disney World because his turban and bushy beard didn
A Sikh man is suing the Disney corporation, claiming he was turned down for a job at Disney World because his turban and bushy beard didn’t “fit the Disney image.” Sukhbir Channa, 24, who studies music at the University of South Florida, had previously worked at Disney World playing trumpet in a toy soldier costume that covered him from head to toe. But he says that when he applied for a summer job as a non-costumed street musician, “they told me anything that involved me being seen by the audience wasn’t possible.” Channa is seeking $1 million in damages.
A high school in Fairfax County, Va., has abolished the concept of class valedictorian, out of concern that ranking students makes some of them feel inferior. Henceforth, any graduating senior with a GPA of 4.0 will be designated an “honor graduate,” rewarded by a front-row seat at the graduating ceremony and dinner with the principal. Senior Tom Nysetvold, who would have been the valedictorian of Oakton High School, said that while “it would have been nice to put it on my college applications,” he wasn’t overly disappointed at missing out on the honor. “I’m glad I don’t have to give a speech,” said Nysetvold.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
New York plans first nuclear plant in 36 years
Speed Read The plant, to be constructed somewhere in upstate New York, will produce enough energy to power a million homes
-
Supreme Court clears third-country deportations
Speed Read The court allowed Trump to temporarily resume deporting migrants to countries they aren't from
-
Trump says Iran and Israel agreed to ceasefire
Speed Read This followed a night of Israeli airstrikes on Tehran and multiple waves of missiles fired by Iran