Texas Students Not Allowed to Wear Honor Society Ribbon to Avoid Hurt Feelings

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Photo: WFAA

A high school in Plano, Texas, is denying National Honor Society (NHS) members the right to wear the NHS emblem on white stoles for graduation.The reason given says one mother – graduates may not wear any club or organizational regalia, and they cannot “single out” students.

Kelly Ann Frederick says she was told by a National Honor Society sponsor that school officials wanted everyone to feel included on graduation day. She was told that school administrators did not want to single out any students, reported KVUE ABC.

Her son has worked for many years for the right to be recognized for that honor, but Garrett Frederick will not be able to wear the NHS stole.

KVUE reported that he said,”I’m not just an honor student – I’m an NHS student. I worked hard. I put in the hours.” The young man explained that in addition to achieving good grades, he also performed twenty hours of community service every semester.

For decades, NHS members have been bestowed the recognition of their academic and other accomplishments by wearing the NHS emblem on their graduation apparel. Garrett Frederick thought he was going to be able to wear the emblem. He has been a member of the organization since his sophomore year.

“I was really looking forward to wearing it and being able to say I was a part of it, because I have friends that go to [Plano East High School] and [Plano West High School], and they’re all wearing it,” he told KVUE. “So it’s like, I don’t know why we’re not allowed to wear it. I don’t get it.”

Plano Senior High School is located at 2200 Independence Parkway. According to the school’s website, the principal of the high school is Sarah Watkins, Pamela Clark is the Associate Principal of Curriculum and Instruction, and Glenn Davis is the Associate Principal of Facilities and Student Activities.

Although school officials at Plano Senior High School say they will not allow students to be individually recognized for their academic achievements, school administrators have no problem with posting on their website, the achievements earned by those at the school (without naming their names).

The school proudly lists academic honors, extracurricular contests, speech and debate and fine arts awards, and other honors earned by unnamed students. Among other achievements, the school website touts that Plano Senior High School has educated: “2 National Merit Semifinalists in 2014,” “16 Plano Wildcats have attended the US Military Academy at West Point,” and “7 national champions at Princeton and Harvard speech tournaments.”

Lana Shadwick is a writer and legal analyst for Breitbart Texas. She has served as a prosecutor and associate judge in Texas. Follow her on Twitter @LanaShadwick2

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