I read in a local paper today about an incident that happened in Elhart, IN. It involved 2 boot Marines wearing their dress blues to their high school graduation ceremony. Apparently there was a dress code that required a shirt and tie so these new Marines (a private and pfc) wore their blues to the ceremony. They were asked to either wear a tie with the uniform, take off the blouse and wear a shirt and tie with the trousers, or leave... they left. I'm extremely proud that they did... I would have done the same. That uniform means more to me than any graduation ceremony ever would. I can't believe that the school, which was obviously trying to make sure that grads weren't dressed inappropriately for the occassion, would ask them not to wear their dress blues. The Marines apparently explained that they could not wear part of the uniform or add non-uniform items to the uniform (such as a tie) but whomever was in charge did not accept their response and removed them. I want to thank those Marines for honoring our uniform. SEMPER FI.

Class A uniform, which is what the Dress Blues are, are welcome in black tie gatherings, White House formal events, and the most formal of formal occaisions.

Chalk up another idiot, knee-jerk, non-thinking response by some half-assed school administrator and their half-baked "zero tolerance" policy.

The School District owes them an FORMAL apology. They can probably sue and win. They should at least get the press on this sad situation.

Semper Fi!!!

Tree hugging liberals control education and the media.  I can't believe they'd stoop this low!  

I'll be wearing my dress blues to my graduation next year whether they like it or not. We're supposed to where a specific outfit under our grad. gown but the heck with that. dress blues or nothing. their choice. AIR FORCE- AIM HIGH!!

The Grand Poo-Ba
Mikie

I was Army, but that pisses me off. It reminds me of that high school girl that planned to join the military after graduation and posed for a picture on the tube of an artillery piece in front of a VFW or American Legion post. Her school would not allow the picture in the yearbook because of "zero tolerance" on firearms. I suppose history textbooks can no longer contain any reference to the fact that wars are fought with weapons.

This "person" in charge is obviously a fucking idiot. I'd love to send a letter to the editor of this newspaper.

I've said it before and I'll say it again: we can't expect public education in the US to improve until we end staffing our schools and administrations with half-assed education majors.  They're fucking morons.  Apologies to any folks here who are studying educaion in college.  It's not too late!  Switch majors ASAP!

These school administrators are more left wing Klintonista's who do not respect the military.  It probably, in their feeble little brains, insinuated guns, since the Marines use them.

Those Marines in dress uniform symbolize sacrifice and FREEDOM the world over.
A formal apology is indeed due. RFN!

What if it would have been a Three star showing up for is kids Grad?  Would they ask him to leave also?  You know what zero tolerance policies mean to me?  

To me they say " I'm to lazy to do my job and take situations case by case.  So, I'll implement a "zero tolerance" policy.  That way if anything happens all I have to do is say here's the rule and this is what happens if you break it.  That way I can eat more donuts!"  

That makes me sad. Those young Marines make make me proud. I was always proud to wear my Army uniform.
The person who told them they were not dressed properly is not fit To polish their shoes, much less tell them how to dress!!!!!  
God help us as a Nation when people don't respect the Marine Corps.
From an Army soldier,My hat is off the the Marines!

Makes me wonder just what they would have done if the young Marines would have refused to leave.

Have them arrested for Peace Disturbance or Trespassing?

Now that would have been interesting.  Probably would have made national news!  

Liberals hate the Marine Corps and Marines in general. They hate us because of what we believe in and what we stand for. They hate us because they stand for nothing and believe in nothing. They hate us because we are proud and they are ashamed. They hate us because they are cowards and we are brave. They hate us because they could never be what we are. They hate us because they have the freedom to hate us and they owe that freedom to us and they are ungrateful and for that they are without honor.
A person who would deny those Marines their due does not deserve to be in the same room with them. They would have shamed themselves had they insisted on staying.

Something or someone needs to get broken(reads; revenge is called for)

edited because now I'm pissed too.

I'll get all the details I can when I bring the paper home from work tomorrow night. I know their names were in the paper but I can't remember them.

I want to say that the name of the school was Memorial high school, but as I said I'll get all the details tomorrow... I'm going on memory now. If I recall right the principal was not present and did not make that call. I don't think they specifically stated whom made that decision. There was some comments that the school meant no disrespect, but no apology was made as far as I understand.

I read that the student body, including these Marines, read and signed something stating that they would wear proper attire, which was apparently a shirt and tie. I guess that going literally by this they were in the wrong, but I think that if that uniform is good enough to wear when you bury a serviceman then it is damn well good enough to wear to some high school graduation. Heck it's 2 steps above the dress blue charlies that include the shirt and tie so as far as I see it they were trying to do better.

And to top it off.... I specifically remember reading that these Marines had not received their diplomas at the time the story was written.

I can only imagine what would happen if I was to attend a prom or something and wear my Marine Dress Blues with my NCO sword. I know they don't allow weapons at school functions but it's part of the uniform... and who would they force to tell the pissed off Marine, armed with the sword, that he had to leave???  

I remember the pride I felt every time I put on my dress blues.

I'm sure they stood straighter, taller and looked sharper than anyone else present.

Yet another case of where the letter of a rule is followed, but not the spirit.

They do deserve an apology.

Semper Fi Marines.  And my hat's off to all who serve(d) in the armed forces of this country.

i cant believe something like this could happen in the heartland of IN

im glad it didnt happen in kalif

I was thinking along the same lines but by doing this it gets them from using the thought process and making an intelligent decision. [uzi]

I cut and pasted this from the Chicago Tribune website -
Marines in uniform barred from high school graduation

Items compiled by Tribune news services
June 8, 2001
ELKHART, INDIANA -- Two Marines turned away from their high school graduation ceremony because they arrived wearing military uniforms say they're angry at school officials.

Elkhart Memorial High School officials said Pfc. David Hobbs and Pvt. Josh Beam violated responsibility agreements for graduation, which both had signed, that spells out what students are to wear.

The agreement states that males must wear socks, a shirt with collar, tie and slacks, said school Superintendent Fred Bechtold.

"We didn't mean any disrespect to the uniform. [The military] is an honorable undertaking. But we have a uniform too for about an hour and a half" at graduation, Bechtold said.

Hobbs and Beam recently finished three months of basic training in San Diego and returned to Elkhart to graduate with their peers.

Hobbs said when he and Beam entered the Joyce Center at the University of Notre Dame in South Bend for the graduation ceremony Tuesday night, neither expected a problem.

"I thought I was wearing what was in the dress code. They were going for a respectable look under the gown," Hobbs said.

But Hobbs said he was pulled aside by school officials and given a choice on his attire.

"They said I either had to take my [jacket] off and put on a shirt and tie or put a tie on my military uniform."

It seems clear to me that,in following the letter of the dress code, the spirit of the dress code was lost.  It would appear the school would not have minded if a student wore a deliberate combination of clashing colors as long as it were in a collared shirt, tie, slacks, and socks.  It would appear that it would be alright to allow clowns that want to make a mockery of the ceremony, but not new Marines, so full of pride in their accomplishments, that they show up wanting to look good in the most distinguished uniform their service has.  What the heck is happening to the world???