School Allows Seniors To Wear Military Sashes During Graduation
CANTON (CBS) - As the seniors at Blue Hills Regional Technical High School proudly strutted toward their graduation ceremony Tuesday night, a handful might have had a little extra lift.
"It's a good thing, we got to be proud of what we're doing," said Tom Leva, a graduate and enlisted Marine.
What Tom Leva and six classmates are doing is heading for military service. In fact, they've already enlisted, but found out they couldn't wear their Air Force, Marine, and Navy sashes outside their gowns at the ceremony, unless they'd made the honor roll.
"I just felt like we were being kicked down," Leva said.
School officials cited policy, arguing that graduation is about academic and vocational achievement at school not outside interests -- and that allowing military sashes might open Pandora's Box.
"I understand where they're coming from, but I thought it could be a military thing so they could have more leeway to it," said Leva.
Apparently, school officials found that leeway and reversed course. So on Tuesday night, all the enlisted seniors were permitted to display their sashes on stage as they grabbed that diploma and thought about the next stop.
"It's a good accomplishment," Leva said.
For some of these military-bound grads, there isn't a whole lot of time to celebrate. Tom Leva ships out for Marine boot camp on Monday.