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That is just plain stupid.
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LAST UPDATE: 5/20/2005 9:40:12 AM
Posted By: CyberBob
This story is available on your cell phone at mobile.woai.com.
A heartbreaking story out of Santa Rosa, California that questions the patriotism of some school administrators. The Press Democrat reports that many high schools are banning military uniforms from graduation ceremonies.
Steven Kiernan, 17, has a dream of graduating with his Petaluma High class dressed in his Marine dress uniform. So he worked ahead of his class and actually completed all his required coursework AND boot camp before the graduation ceremony.
But principal Mike Simpson is trying to squash that dream. According to Simpson, if Kiernan wants to receive his diploma at the June 11 commencement, he'll have to wear a cap and gown – not his Marine uniform.
The decision at Petaluma High is similar to others playing out at high schools across the country in the weeks leading up to graduation. School leaders are fielding requests from new military recruits who want to walk in uniform to receive diplomas.
Families, proud of the new commitment made by their children, are troubled and sometimes angry that their requests are denied.
"Seniors graduate as a class. It's an honor to be a member of the graduating class. Becoming a Marine is also an honor, but it is a separate honor," Simpson told the Press Democrat.
The cap and gown requirement does not preclude Kiernan from wearing his uniform under the gown.
"Sometimes they wear the gown over the uniform, which is OK, as long as the uniform is completely covered," said Gunnery Sgt. Michael Williams, a former Marine recruiter for Sonoma County. "Then the Marines pull off the gown quickly afterward. But that's usually not what the parents want."
Earlier this week, two new teen Marines from Warren Township High School outside Chicago won the right to graduate in uniform when their school board changed school policy to allow students in the military to wear uniforms.
Simpson does not want to make such change in Petaluma.
For now, the Kiernan family will concentrate on Steven's first graduation - from Marine boot camp, which he excitedly noted in his last letter home Wednesday:
"Hi Family! Buy the plane tickets and reserve the hotel room because I survived the Crucible and ain't nothin' stoppin' me from graduating on June 1st," he wrote.
The Kiernan family said they understand the school's position, but said an exception should be made, particularly because the nation is at war in Iraq.
That is just plain stupid.
if he wanted to wear a chicken suit would you support him?
A more easy analogy would be if he were going straight to a job and wanted just to wear a suit instead of a gown, would you support him?
So much for free speech, huh?
It figures this would happen in California.
"What The........"
He can write "Look! I'm a Marine!" using masking tape on his cap like everyone else. Otherwise, wear the uniform under the gown. BFD. His uniform isn't banned, so the topic le is completely misleading -- it should read: Gowns Required by Principal at Graduation. The horror.So much for free speech, huh?
Simpson, YOU SUCK!Earlier this week, two new teen Marines from Warren Township High School outside Chicago won the right to graduate in uniform when their school board changed school policy to allow students in the military to wear uniforms.
Simpson does not want to make such change in Petaluma.
I don't see a prob w/him wearing the cap & gown & the millisecond he gets his diploma he rips it off & dons the uniform he earned. Most can never & will never understand what it is like be a Marine. That is why you'll see some comments like those above.
Join the Corps, earn the le & then I'd bet your tunes change.
thanks son for signing up to serve this country. while most were smoking out and knocking up their girlfriends you opted to serve your country and go through boot camp. we cant have that. so you must wear this black garbage bag that signifies that you're the product of a public school system that would otherwise have you destined for a life of menial employment.
america. . yeah.
Last edited by violentkitten; 05-22-2005 at 12:33 AM.
Ha! For once, VK, you and I had exactly the same thought.
I was under the impression that the various branches of the military had specific rules about where class A uniforms could and couldn't be worn and this one doesn't seem to qualify...and correct me if I am wrong...he wanted to wear the uniform INSTEAD of his cap and gown? Isn't the marine corp all about conforming and being part of the group? I doubt the Marine Corp would like it very much if he showed up for maneuvers in his class A's instead of the "uniform of the day"...
Semper Fi!!
Negative sir. That would be sheep you're speaking of. Marines learn to exercise discipline & that entails following orders or accomplishing the mission/task at hand.Isn't the marine corp all about conforming and being part of the group?
He has the orders to not wear his uniform so why is he ing
Actually, he CAN wear the gown over the uniform completely covered. Like I said, earn the uniform & you'd know what this guy feels like."Sometimes they wear the gown over the uniform, which is OK, as long as the uniform is completely covered," said Gunnery Sgt. Michael Williams, a former Marine recruiter for Sonoma County. "Then the Marines pull off the gown quickly afterward. But that's usually not what the parents want."
i dont see the difference if he's wants to wear a pantera t shirt or marine uniform, he wants to stand out, be orginal and have people look at him, which i have no problem with but usually schools are pretty lame about
ESPECIALLY graduation, when I graduated, a whole 2 years ago, they held your diploma hostage, if you did anything short of sneezing onstage, you didn't get it. You couldn't even raise your hands onstage or wave.(sp?)
Quick! Somebody get the ACLU on the phone. This sounds like a first ammendment case.
Seriously, though, is there some long standing tradition of letting members of the military graduate in their dress uniforms from high school? If so, then I could see how this might be a story, especially if it is used to be allowed at this particular school. If this guy wants to wear it, fine. But under the cap and gown like everybody else. There were almost 700 in my graduating class, and we all wore caps and gowns. Some of us had suits on underneath, some had casual clothes. One guy I knew wore a tux. But the gown was over all of it. It's not the school's fault if he made the assumption that he could do this without checking ahead of time.
As far as "A heartbreaking story out of Santa Rosa, California that questions the patriotism of some school administrators. " Could we please pander a little more to the right? Please?
A heartbreaking story is your son going to war and not coming back. A heartbreaking story is your daughter getting killed by a roadside bomb when she was in Iraq doing humanitarian work. A heartbreaking story is your wife being kidnapped and killed after spending years in Iraq working for the betterment of the people there.
This might be disappointing for young Mr. Kiernan, but lets get a little perspective here folks.
You're right! What was I thinking! Of course there is NO WAY this MARINE could go to Iraq, Afghanistan, etc... I don't pretend to know his MOS but the past 18months or so should show us that all members of our armed forces are targets..Whether eating @ their secured base, driving in a convoy or on patrol. But HEY!, that's just until they are actually killed right?A heartbreaking story is your son going to war and not coming back. A heartbreaking story is your daughter getting killed by a roadside bomb when she was in Iraq doing humanitarian work. A heartbreaking story is your wife being kidnapped and killed after spending years in Iraq working for the betterment of the people there.
I don't know if you got this, but he was saying that this situation is not a "heartbreaking story," which it isn't
you compare a chicken suit to a marine uniform?
no, not really. and the class a is not the uniform everyone thinks of when they think of marine uniform. those are called "dress blues." the class a is just like a suit...similiar to the green uniform you see the army dressed up in all the time on tv.
civilians don't give orders.
the aclu only protects rapists, pedophiles like nambla members, and the like.
Figuratively.
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