I graduated in the mid-70’s. We had two valedictorians and one salutatorian. The difference was the two females passed on taking a geometry class where the teacher would not give a grade above A- due to his private standard. The male salutatorian took the class and received a B+. It was a lesson in making sure you consider wether your private stances adversely impact others.
I never liked high school and ranked it right up there with prison and nursing homes as places you would like to avoid. If graduation ceremonies were eliminated it would be fine with me.
High school is there for people to learn to knuckle under to authority even if that authority is abusive.