Middletown North Valedictorian Expresses Contradictory Views Of Her Educational Experience
Jada Tulloch, the 2020 valedictorian of Middletown High School North, said she “had a great experience in Middletown public schools” and that she “wouldn’t have it any other way” in an interview with Sophia Haber Brock of Sophia Directs published on May 24.
Jada Tulloch, the 2020 valedictorian of Middletown High School North, caused quite a stir in the Monmouth County, NJ community this week with an angry and inflammatory video posted on Instagram alleging racial discrimination throughout her education.
Tulloch told a very different story in a self published Instagram video about a week later. Suddenly her “great experience” that she “wouldn’t have any other way” transformed into “surviving years of racial discrimination, oppression and disgusting comments” from the people she surrounded herself with in “God forsaken” Middletown.
First in her class at Middletown North, Tulloch has been accepted to Columbia University. She is the daughter of Stanley H. Tulloch, a Vice President at Morgan Stanley, and Natasha A. Tulloch, a Division Manager for Vemco, an international distributor of well known food and beverage brands. The Tullochs live in the New Monmouth section of Middletown.
Middletown Schools Superintendent Dr. Bill George felt compelled by the controversy to issue an innocuous letter of support for his star student.
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Hi, I’m Jada.
I just saw your post regarding my Senior Spotlight interview and my apparent “contradictory” response. When I responded to that question I made sure to choose my words wisely to keep some integrity and reverence to and for myself. When I said “I would say I’ve had a great experience in Middletown public schools since elementary school, just because of the amazing people and amazing teachers I’ve met” I made sure to say “just because.” I really don’t accredit any of my success to the institutions themselves, but instead to the wonderful people I have had the opportunity to meet through it, and I completely stand by that. I did not feel the need to bring up the negative experiences I have had with people in that response, because I was focusing on the positive. Hope this clarifies some things, thanks!
That’s the human experience for you: try to sum up 4 years in a one-minute video, and you’re going to leave some stuff out.
I thought Ms. Tulloch expressed two aspects of her high school experience pretty well. The first video is about academics and some teachers; the second about racism. She seems simultaneously happy with the education she received and angry about the racism she experienced. Those feelings are not contradictory.
I think I can guess which video is rankling white people.
was just looking for clicks, didn’t actually expect you to give a measured and respectful response to the passive aggressiveness. Congratulations on your achievements!
@ jada and @ dan
I agree the two sentiments are not necessarily contradictory. However, Jada, in her comment here says she chose her words carefully and with integrity.
Why would she say she “wouldn’t have it any other way?”
I really thought this was poorly written & you clearly used the title as clickbait. First off, Middletown’s response to hearing Jada’s video should have been “how can we change” not “you’re lying, our predominantly white town isn’t racist, let’s take away your valedictorian title because you started a conversation where we have to admit we’re in the wrong”. Second, instead of quoting her entire sentence, you cherry picked what fit your storyline. Third, she was talking about her experience with racism in one video and how the teachers inspired her in the other video, that’s why she said she wouldn’t change it. You want to talk about something contradictory so bad how about your slogan “fair and biased “
This is an extremely unfair profile of two eloquent and non-contradictory speeches. Jada expressed herself very clearly, though I cannot say this article does her words fair justice.
If it was so bad for her, why did she wait til graduation to say something? Her parents should’ve done the right thing and taken out of the environment and moved her to a different school. Valedictorian is meant to speak on behalf of the graduating class and should be inspirational and about the future not a chance for someone to speak out. That should’ve been addressed when it happened, to the few that did it. If I had a child and they were accused of racism like that, I’d be upset because not all people sitting in front of her are racist.
They forgot to teach her not to use “like” every fifth word.
She’s doing very well for a victim of “oppression.” Her father is a Vice President at Morgan Stanley and she’ll be going to one of the nation’s most prestigious colleges next year. Good for her, but “oppressed” isn’t the word that I’d use. I’d probably go with “fortunate.”
Why don’t these loudmouths just shut their yaps? Also, Middletown is widely known as one of the more inclusive communities not only in the county but the entire state. I can’t think of a more multicultural, peaceful, tolerant place than the paradise that is Middletown Township, amiright??
How classy for a group of parents to bully a student for sharing her thoughts on her Personal Instagram page. Telling. And also, Sad. These parents should be embarrassed at their disgusting display for All to see. Read the news article posted by 101.5 which shows the parents’ Facebook posts and rants. No denying it. Let’s do better.
This was not the young lady’s Valedictorian speech, it was an Instagram post in regards to the students and parents comparing their “oppression” from the Board of Education to the Black Lives Matter movement. Laughable and embarrassing. To blast a child for telling it like it is. Get over yourselves.
I am confused. This is a teenager’s Instagram post. Why are these parents so intent on ruining this child’s chance to give her Valedictorian speech for speaking her truth? Where is the controversial statement? Is it because she pointed out the ridiculousness of the parents and students? I believe the parents “outed” themselves here. Shameful. Good luck to Jada! Certainly bigger and better locations on the horizon. Proud to not find these situations in my town. Middletown has some work to do.
Embarrassing that this article made it to print. All that I see is a beautiful, intelligent young woman speaking her truth. These Facebook Warrior Moms need to attend a job fair. Husbands must be proud.
As a parent in the Middletown community familiar with the root story, I would like to point out that this is the worst spin piece I may have seen. Several reasons why. First of all, this is a case of parents attacking a child. In and of itself, wrong. Second, to say this child did not experience racial bias ever in a lily white area is delusional. Let’s not be so blindly proud. Third, I believe this to be commissioned by said ignorant parents that do Not represent the entirety of parents of the senior class. Unfortunately a small percentage of these parents feel themselves to be superior to the rest of parents and society in general, enough so to condemn this child on social media and about the town. Instead of having the nobility to extend an apology, if not altruistically, at least to diffuse the situation, exemplifies their ignorance and bold stupidity. Perhaps these women are auditioning for the Real Housewives of Middletown?
Jada, please know that these parents do not represent all of us in town. This is a small, entitled, boldly ignorant representation that should have issued an apology. My family would never encourage bashing a child on Facebook, period. You have every right to share your experiences without being silenced. I am embarrased that this behavior has made the news. It doesn’t represent all of us, yet what an example of Middletown they have shown the world. I am sorry that you are being put through this. This will follow those families forever.
I graduated from the same high school and lived in the same “God forsaken town” as Jada.
I co-founded the 1st computer club at MHSN, created the 1st website for MHSN (most of which pretty much still stands, funnily), and introduced some great tech to Middletown during my years. Overall, I was an asset to Middletown….. but what did I get in return? 18 years of racism, discrimination and oppression…. my experience reflects Jada’s.
Jada is a rockstar! And we all should be so damn proud to have her voice the pain that people like myself have carried for so many years. There are more like me.
Thank you Jada.
Paul Fatehi
#Humanitarian
This is clickbait and so wrong! She was asked about her educational experience, not her life experiences. Let me make something clear: just because she and her family made something with themselves does not mean anything else except that they worked hard AND overcame racial bias. I get white people are unaware of what it is like to deal with these racial biases (they are excruciating to deal with)- but that doesn’t mean they don’t exist! Listen to minorities when we explain our experiences. Look at history and the present to attempt to empathize. “White priviledge doesn’t mean your life hasn’t been hard. It means your skin color isn’t one of the things making it harder”. Good job being valedictorian and thank you for representing minorities and being our voice. Not an easy feat, so congratulations and.. thank you!