Does the school practice racism? She is black.

[henryclay]

She must be a cut above average. After she graduated early, joined the Corps, finished Boot Camp and came back for her school graduatiion, this is what her High School told her:
Marine Not Allowed To Wear Uniform For High School Graduation
pittsburgh.cbslocal.com/2011/06/09/marine-not-allowed-to-wear-uniform-for-high-school-graduation/

There is a precedent. I saw it on TV once, , , , , or was it twice?

The graduate, now a Marine, goes on stage wearing the cap and gown, picks up the diploma, shakes the presenter's hand, starts to walk away, then stops , , , sheds the cap and gown, which was covering a set of perfectly tailored Marine Corps Dress Blues, dons the cover that was hanging from the belt, salutes the audience like any good Marine would do, and only then walks away.

What are they gonna do, take the diploma back and send the Marine through Boot Camp again?

Rotsa ruck. What I saw on the TV was that the audience erupted with cheers, whistles and applause.

[marshabar1]

Hi Henry. Check your mail.

[Sharon]

My DD graduates high school tonight. We have received multiple notices home that the kids will only be allowed to wear their cap and gowns and there can not be any adornment of any type. The kids are also not allowed to wear corsages or Lei's. Her school has quite a few kids who are from the Marshall Islands and it is their tradition to wear flowers.

Anyone who does not meet the approved dress code will not be allowed to walk. This applies to each and every student.

[thyme4change]

They have to be pretty strict at high school graduations or things will get out of hand quickly.

Just because one high school had a process to handle a marine doesn't mean that every high school in the world is now required to follow that exact procedure. The high school can make the rules of their ceremony anything they wish. It isn't racist.

She didn't ask to wear the gown and then remove it. She asked to wear her uniform instead of the gown. I really respect the military - but the uniform requirement for THIS ceremony is cap and gown.

[henryclay]

Thank you each for your input. The school has released a statement. Next below is the pertinent part. All is well that ends well. Would that it were so in all our schools. She was obviously an attentive student, and having now achieved another important milestone in life, she will hopefully be an inspiration for others to follow:

There is a new state law passed in March 2010, which prohibits the restriction of wearing military uniforms on school property. Therefore, there will be no restrictions imposed on this student in regard to the wearing of her uniform to graduation. She may choose what she wishes to do at graduation.

The student may wear her uniform; she may wear a cap and gown; she may wear her cap and gown with her uniform under it and remove the cap and gown upon receipt of her diploma.

www.northallegheny.org/nash/cwp/view.asp?A=3&Q=297860

[deziloooooo]

If only all such disputes were solved so easily and with such commen sense.

[henryclay]

BUT,
,
,
,
,
,
Common sense is not something that principal can hang HIS hat on. The stupid principal never should have refused her request in the first place. And does anybody think for a minute it would have ended this quietly if that state law hadn't gotten in his way?

[deziloooooo]

I can understand the Principals decision with the standards that have been done in the past, and stupid is not what I would call him.

I like the idea of cap and gown and then the removal and of the recognition of the student buy the classmates and the audience actually, my own personal feeling, you have another.

Now the rules are set so it will be up to the students as to how they want to participate. This "stupid " as you say and call him, Principal , may have also been a serving memeber of one of the branches in his youth..so I think he just found himself in a spot to have to make a decision, he did..useing past practices I believe, and there may have been many, possible veterans too, one doesn't now do we, who are also veterans of the military who were supporting his decision.

Just because some one makes a decision you might not agree with, don't see the necessity to accuse them of being wrong or "stupid ".

[henryclay]

>>>>>>>>> Just because some one makes a decision you might not agree with, don't see the necessity to accuse them of being wrong or "stupid ". <<<<<<<<<<<

Oh, now desi. tsk, tsk. Better wachit. You've generally been pretty good here lately, but somebody might want to know how long it's been since you made similar comments about some of yer feller posters.

[jarhead1976]

Jun 11, 2011 14:22:16 GMT -5 henryclay said:

>>>>>>>>> Just because some one makes a decision you might not agree with, don't see the necessity to accuse them of being wrong or "stupid ". <<<<<<<<<<<

Oh, now desi. tsk, tsk. Better wachit. You've generally been pretty good here lately, but somebody might want to know how long it's been since you made similar comments about some of yer feller posters.

lol henry!
The pot calling the kettle Black. Semper Fi.

[privateinvestor]

I have no problem wit this young lady wearing her USMC Dress Blues at her High School Graduation provided she got permission from her School Principle.. If her Principle said NO then she should have gone with that decision... There are people who would see wearing Blues as a recruitment ad and let's face it a lot of families don't want their high school kids joining the military because they oppose the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

I recall graduating from High School and we had three classmates who didn't attend our graduation exercise in Boston MA because they were going through basic training at Fort Dix New Jersey..