Commander: Wear the National Guard sash anyway

The American Legion in Minnesota gives its full support to Fertile-Beltrami High School senior Beau Durand to wear an Army National Guard sash at graduation.

Wearing a National Guard sash at graduation is a meaningful way to recognize military service, commitment and sacrifice. It symbolizes honor, leadership and dedication not only to education, but also to service to country and community.

Perhaps the Fertile-Beltrami School District leaders are unaware of Minnesota Statute 190.001, which encourages the state — and school governments are children of the state — to honor military service “in recognition of the necessity of maintaining a strong military force for the protection and survival of this state and nation and of free and democratic allied societies throughout the world.”

In Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District, the U.S. Supreme Court in 1969 held that the First Amendment protects a public-school student’s speech so long as the speech does not “materially and substantially” disrupt the school’s operation and discipline and does not collide with the rights of other students.

In that case, students wore black armbands in class to protest the Vietnam War. If the law allows students to protest wars in school, surely it can allow students to show support for the military. These graduates entering the military made a brave and honorable decision to put their young lives on the line.

The U.S. armed forces have done such an amazing job of national defense — one of the pillars of The American Legion — that it is sad when we see cases like this, when the civilian population no longer realizes the dangers of the world we live in and takes that protection for granted.

Legionnaires unequivocally support Durand wearing the sash during graduation. This is America, not a police state. Wearing it will not disrupt graduation. We argue that the school district’s denial has done more to disrupt school proceedings than simply allowing it would have done.

At graduation ceremonies nationwide, it has become commonplace to see some students wearing sashes or stoles or putting messages on their mortarboards. It hasn’t been the end of the world. The school districts allowing individualism at their commencement ceremonies are doing fine. We hope Fertile-Beltrami comes around.

Linda Dvorak is the commander of the The American Legion Department of Minnesota.