Principal defends decision to bar military uniforms from graduation

[USMCgrunt0331]

Roger that, you wear the uniform that's appropriate to the event. You wear your Marine uniform for your Marine graduation, you wear your hs cap and gown for your hs grad.

[booksbenji]

IS ALWAY RIGHT. The cap and gown is correct. The principal is the OIC and as MARINES we always follow orders. NUFF SAID.

Semper Fi
books

[thedrifter]

Another Story on this subject.


Board: Marines can wear uniforms at graduation

By Bob Susnjara Daily Herald Staff Writer
Wed May 11, 9:33 AM ET



Two students at Warren Township High School in Gurnee can wear just their dress-blue Marine uniforms instead of caps and gowns at a graduation ceremony later this month.

Warren District 121 board members voted 6-0, with one abstention, to allow any senior to bypass the cap-and-gown rule at the May 28 commencement if they are in a U.S. military-issued uniform and active in the armed forces. Weapons won't be allowed with the military garb.

Tuesday night's decision by the Warren board settled a controversy that started early last month after one of the Marine's mothers, Julie Hamil, made the military uniform request. She said a school administrator initially cited policy in not approving the request last month.

"I'm very pleased," Hamil said of the decision that'll allow her son, Brenten Kostner, 19, and John Shymanik, 17, to wear their Marine dress blues without the caps and gowns. Kostner and Shymanik graduated early in December to join the Marine Corps.

Their mothers said the teens wanted to attend the commencement wearing just the dress blue uniforms during a 10-day leave from boot camp as a way to show classmates their pride in becoming successful graduates as Marines. Hamil also said a Marine recruiter told the teens they could wear the uniforms instead of caps and gowns.

At one point in the controversy, Hamil voiced frustration over conflicting information she received over how the Marine dress uniform is supposed to be worn. She said it became unclear whether Kostner and Shymanik could wear a cap and gown over their uniforms.

Before the school board vote, Marine Corps Maj. William Reinhart said there were no rules against caps and gowns going over the dress blues, if that's what the school preferred.

"I think it's very important that (Kostner and Shymanik) be recognized in some way," Reinhart added.

Hamil told the school board she wasn't interested in a compromise that was offered.

Before Tuesday's vote, District 121 suggested Kostner and Shymanik be part of a color guard participating at the Northwestern University graduation. The graduates would have donned caps and gowns over their Marine uniforms after presenting the colors.

"All they simply wanted to do is walk across the stage in their uniforms," Hamil said.

Ellie