May 27, 2008
Trevor Miller of New Paris, IN is one of America 's finest, a United States Marine. Trevor attended Wawasee high school in Syracuse , IN with the class of 2008. He is an honor student and was inducted into the Wawasee high school academic hall of fame. He took early graduation on Feb. 19th, turned 18 years old on Feb. 20th, and on Feb. 23rd he left for the Marine Corps Recruit Depot (MCRD) in San Diego , CA to begin three months of the toughest military training in the world. On May 23rd he graduated as a United States Marine. He returned home for ten days of leave to participate in his high school graduation prior to the next phase of his training in Marine combat infantry. While at MCRD (of all things), he received a letter from his high school telling him he could not wear his Marine uniform during graduation ceremonies. The reason given by the principal was that the school did not want to spotlight his achievements above any other students. This reasoning seemed at best rather lame given that he has already been spotlighted with his induction into the school hall of fame and undoubtedly other students will be spotlighted for their various achievements and excellence such as the Valedictorian and NHS. Trevor had just completed the most difficult 13 weeks of his life and was understandably very disappointed at the attitude of his school principal. Prior to leaving for the Marine Corps, the principal had asked Trevor to stop by the school in his uniform. Trevor pressed and donned his new Marine dress blue uniform and went to the school. He went to the school office and asked permission to have lunch at the school with his schoolmates that he would be graduating with in three days. The school principal came out of her office, saw Trevor and gave him a halfhearted smile. Without saying so much as hello, she turned and left the room. Her secretary informed Trevor that the school has a policy of "closed lunches", and refused him entrance into the building. The lunch area is not closed to military recruiters or church youth pastors but it was closed to a member of the class of 2008 wearing a Marine Corps uniform. Although Trevor may soon be in Afghanistan or Iraq , he is not even allowed to eat lunch in the school with his classmates. Trevor has chosen not to walk in the graduation ceremonies rather than remove the uniform he has earned.
It is the opinion of Trevor's family and friends that the principal of Wawasee high school lacks a fundamental understanding of the mission of public education to recognize and promote as role models, students who strive for excellence and high achievement both in their academics and in their pursuits. Given that this incident happened the day following the National Memorial Day weekend, she obviously also lacks a basic understanding of the high recognition this country inherently awards the special men and women who voluntarily choose to defend our freedoms with their very lives.
Speaking as one man who lived through the Vietnam War era, our country has been repenting and healing from a time when men and women serving their country where spit upon and ridiculed for wearing a uniform of the United States military. As Trevor's father, I believe my son has been symbolically spit upon by his school principal. I think we have all had enough of this kind of attitude which nearly tore this nation to pieces. I urge other Americans who understand the price of freedom to contact the Wawasee school Superintendentʼs office at (574-457-3188).
The internet contact for Wawasee is:
http://www.wawasee.k12.in.us/education/components/contact/default.php?sectiondetailid=9
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