Posted on 05/19/2005 7:52:10 AM PDT by Cagey
SAN DIEGO — Steven Kiernan, 17, has two dreams: One is to become a Marine, and the other is to wear his Marine dress-blue uniform to his high school graduation.
Kiernan is close to achieving the first. He has finished all but the final days of the grueling 12-week boot camp in San Diego.
But his goal of wearing his uniform to Petaluma High School's graduation on June 11 appears thwarted.
The principal of the Northern California school notified Kiernan's parents that school rules require that all graduates wear the traditional cap and gown.
Jim Kiernan, Steven's father, plans to appeal the decision to the Petaluma school board at its meeting Tuesday.
"The Marine Corps has traditions, but I guess the school district has traditions too, and the different traditions have collided," he said in a telephone interview.
Jim Kiernan, who works for a vineyard management company, said he was not so much angered by the decision as he was puzzled. Other graduates, he said, will be honored for their achievements, by wearing adornments on their caps or having their names read aloud.
"Finishing boot camp is my son's achievement, and I think he deserves to be honored too," Jim Kiernan said. He's a member of another school board in Sonoma County and says he knows that school boards can overrule principals.
In similar cases this spring involving young Marines returning to their high school graduations in Illinois and Wisconsin, school officials lifted the no-uniforms rule.
Steven finished his course work early at Petaluma High so he could start boot camp. His parents, somewhat reluctantly, signed his enlistment papers.
Principal Mike Simpson said he sympathized with Steven and respects his decision to enlist. Simpson's father was a Marine who saw combat in World War II.
(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...
I have to agree with the school. The young man should know that above you have to be a team player. Since everyone else is wearing a cap and gown he should too.
SChools are a joke. They should allow our military special privileges. after all, don't the "gays" get special privileges, i don't see the gays helping our country if you know what i mean. /sarc
Just wear the uniform under the gown, and carry your top soldier. God Bless you.
[[Since everyone else is wearing a cap and gown he should too.]]
I'll bet that if he was a Wiccan transvestite that wanted to wear a dress and "Kiss makeup" that they would have no problem with it.
I agree. Let him wear the uniform under the cap-gown...then take it off when the ceremonies over.
"don't the "gays" get special privileges"
No, they have to wear a cap & gown too.
"I have to agree with the school. The young man should know that above you have to be a team player."
Obviously he did not learn anything in boot camp. Obviously some posters don't think rules apply to people they support.
This guy is supposed to be a Marine. Marines follow the rules, not ask for special favors.
i also agree with the school. i was commissioned as a 2LT in the army the morning of my graduation (1974) from college, wore my gown over my uniform for my college graduation and took the gown off after the ceremony.
One thing to consider here is that since he hasn't finished boot camp, he is not actually a Marine, yet.
It's too bad there isn't some way of recognizing his (imminent) military service with some sort of tassle or other design as part of the hat and/or robe, the way (in college anyway) they do it for graduating with honors or to show the department/college your major was in or etc etc. Maybe some sort of rope or shoulder-piece...
(sorry for the rambling nature of this post)
Maybe his haircut will do the trick. ;)
I remeber when I graduated boot camp, I felt so proud and wanted everyone to know, probably how this guy feels. However, we were taught that conformity was necessary as was being an integral part of a group or team. I don't believe being a Marine has anything to do with the uniform and everything to do with character.
I completely agree with you! The administration wouldn't DARE say anything to him once the ceremony had began.
Bless this young man!
Here's what I would do.
Wear the dress blues under the cap and gown and carry my Marine Corps cover.
Once I received the diploma, take off the cap and put on my Marine Corps cover and pull off the gown!
VOILA!
From the Halls of Montezumaaaaa...to the shores of Tripoli!!!
Semper Fi,
Kelly
Just what I was thinking.
No. The kids can go through basic, or boot, or whatever during the summer between thier junior and senior years. Then they go back and finish their training after they graduate. There is a requirement to graduate HS. If not then the enlistment is null & void.
In this kids case, he hasn't even finished his boot camp. In the words of R Lee Ermey, "he's still a maggot." He doesn't deserve the right to be called a marine until he finishes his training.
LOL (i was actually thinking of that same stunt...)
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