Class Valedictorian is a time-honoured tradition in US schools but also some universities. The student with the most outstanding record is generally given the honour and tasked with giving the valediction — farewell address — at the graduation ceremony. How much this has become politicised is highlighted by the controversy over Asna Tabassum being ‘cancelled’ from giving the valedictory address at the University of Southern California (USC) this year. Tabassum was picked from a list of 100 ‘applicants’ for the class valedictorian honour. Time was when an outstanding grade point average (GPA) was the only prerequisite for the honour, but...