SYRACUSE - A circulating e-mail regarding an area Marine and Wawasee High School's graduation is just one-sided, according to Wawasee Superintendent Dr. Tom Edington.
The e-mail even reached Fox News from New York City, who contacted Wawasee Schools Thursday."The accuracy of the e-mail circulated by the student's father is very questionable at best," Edington said.
Edington said the allegations in the e-mail made by Trevor Miller's father were "shotgunned" out to the world without the student's consent or knowledge, and without contacting Wawasee Schools.
Miller, of New Paris, graduated from Wawasee early in February. In May, he graduated as a U.S. Marine.
According to the e-mail, "He returned home for 10 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."
Edington said it would be perfectly acceptable for Miller to wear his uniform at graduation, but Miller would just have to wear his cap and gown over it during ceremonies. Immediately after graduation ceremonies, Miller could take the cap and gown off and showcase his Marine uniform.
"That's been our past practice here," Edington said. All seniors were notified of what was expected of them to wear during the ceremonies.
In another part of the circulating e-mail, Miller's father wrote, "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."
The e-mail alleges the principal's secretary then informed Miller that the school has a policy of closed lunches and refused him entrance into the building.
The allegations also say Miller "has not chosen to walk in the graduation ceremonies rather than remove the uniform he has earned."
Edington said Wawasee is thrilled Miller is back. "He left as a boy and came back a man," Edington said.
Monday, Edington said, Miller talked to some of his former teachers. Miller told the senior class sponsor in charge of graduation that he would not be attending graduation. Edington said it was not because of apparel, but Miller wanted to attend his brother's graduation the same night.
Tuesday, Edington said, Miller did visit Wawasee High School. The office people "literally did not know him. They did not recognize him as the Trevor who left," Edington said. He was not shunned, but he was thought to be a recruiter waiting for another recruiter, and was told to wait.
However, Wednesday Miller returned to Wawasee High School and spent lunch with his friends.
Wednesday night, Edington said he did not see Miller at the senior awards night, at least not in uniform. He certainly could have worn his uniform that night, too, Edington said.
Besides being proud of Miller and his accomplishments, Edington said he was proud of all the 200 Wawasee seniors graduating. It's a positive event marred this year by a rash e-mail, he said.
The Elkhart newspaper ran the e-mail in today's edition, Edington said, and they've received numerous calls regarding the e-mail. Most of the callers, he said, knew the e-mail was one-sided and just wanted more information and to know that the school was doing the right thing.
