Posted on 06/10/2005 4:34:40 PM PDT by South40
COLLEGE PARK, Md. School officials are withholding a 17-year-old boy's diploma for wearing a bolo tie under his graduation gown.
Thomas Benya said he prefers the string bolo ties over traditional knotted ties to reflect his American Indian heritage.
But officials from Maurice J. McDonough High School in suburban Washington said they warned him beforehand that a bolo violated the dress code for the event, held Wednesday for about 250 students.
said Katie O'Malley-Simpson, a spokeswoman for Charles County schools. "We have many opportunities throughout the year to express cultural heritage. But we don't do that at graduation."
Benya said he never thought his diploma was at stake, and wore a bolo anyway.
"I did not feel that I should change my heritage for an hour and a half to wear an actual tie to show respect when they aren't showing respect to me," he said.
The spokeswoman said that the school will give Benya his diploma but that he has not set up a meeting to receive it.
The boy's parents said they are considering legal action. His mother, Marsha Benya, cited the long history of Indians being "pushed around," and added: "If he had not stood up for himself, he would have been part of the problem of Native Americans being treated in this way."
The bolo, or bola, is not a tie?
What idiots.
It's not only common throught the west but it's the official state neckwear of Arizona.
Liberal-run academia gets it wrong again.
The school is wrong and out of line.
Johnny can't read, but he has good taste in fashion.
I don't approve of the boy flagrantly being disobedient, and I don't think legal action is necessary.
That said, this is ridiculous on the school's part. A bolo tie is a tie, it can be formal wear, there is nothing wrong or disrespectful about it.
Well, we've already been told oral sex is not sex....
I'm shocked that the school would risk offending a protected minority. How un-PC!
Still, I agree with many posters here, nothing wrong with a bolo.
I'm actually considering wearing them at work.
Much to do about nothing.
Disobedient? If he earned the diploma he earned it. This is more of the power trip by the little people who control our education system, nothing more.
Maryland land of morons, once the Free State.
I followed the link but all I got was the fox background....
It was not formal enough, I guess.
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Or maybe it looked like this:
.
Try this
It's a 2/1/05 AP story about North Korea declaring was on long hair.
I was class of '75 and I refused the offer of a shirt and tie instead choosing to wear a t-shirt for my senior picture. I told them if I wanted to wear a tie I'd have brought my own.
When I graduated from high school I was told I had to wear white shoes. Well it is very difficult to find cute- white shoes and I wanted to wear my new cute pinks shoes... so I did.
And I would do it again too.
If the PTB insist upon a dress code for graduation ceremonies they should be the exact same dress code that is already in place for all other school functions.
When are people going to remember that the school employees are OUR employees... they work for us.
thanks ;]

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