A Marine was turned away from his high school graduation ceremony in Indiana this week when he showed up in his dress blues instead of the standard cap and gown.
The (Northwest Indiana) Times reports Jacob Stanley graduated from Crown Point High School in December and joined the Marines. He completed boot camp last week and flew home for Tuesday’s ceremony.
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School principal Chip Petit tells the newspaper tradition calls for all students to wear a cap and gown to graduation. He says individual students can recognize achievements such as military service by wearing stoles or chords over their gowns.
He says the policy isn’t “intended to be disrespectful” to students entering the military.
Some of Stanley’s classmates told the newspaper that they were disappointed by the decision.
The Associated Press contributed to this article.