Official Idiocy.

[OtakuLoki]

In the wake of so many real issues and problems I can't work up any outrage for this situation: A New Hampshire High School has refused to allow one of the graduating seniors to use his boot camp photo for his senior picture. Their reason: They have an absolute ban on hats or props in the student picture section.

Which might even make sense. But when they've made exceptions for a Muslim girl to wear her "traditional scarf" for her photo (As they damned well should.) I am less impressed with their position that we can't make any changes to this policy. The senior in question spent his summer in Boot Camp, with every intention of reporting for the rest of his active duty commitment after graduation. He is in uniform in the photo, and part of that uniform is his cover. He has more reason than most for the outfit he has chosen to wear, and be remembered in.

It's idiocy. And that always annoys me.

[Zuul]

Wow, that is blatantly idiotic. I should stop being surprised when schools do stupid things, and yet I always am.

[Myrnalene]

This is a completely boneheaded move from a PR point of view, if only because it gives the kid's mother the opportunity to peddle crap like this:

"We feel we're being discriminated against for being in the military," Dee said.

I look for this story to be added to the rounds of outraged emails decrying about the widespread discrimination against good, god-loving, true Americans. All because someone at that school feels the need to dig in their heels to enforce an ill-considered policy in the face of common sense. Thanks, Merrimack Valley High.

[hatesfreedom]

You ever notice how the drama whore pricks in the military are always 'just out of boot'.

EDIT: oh sorry, I officially support the school. the Army doesn't let you show up in formation in boxers, this highschool has its own rules. That's just the way it is.

[Cluricaun]

Is there an army regulation that covers when a cover is to be worn with a certain class of uniform in photographs? I know that my brothers have some stickler ass regs that cover Marine Corps dress blues and how and when they may be worn in public and in photographs, but if the army doesn't consider it against regs to appear in a photo with that uniform with no cover on, than just take a new one. I know the army has much looser regs than the Marines do, but for fucks sake kid, you're in the military. If there's a question of dress look it up. If it's not clear ask your superior. If the regs say hat on in photos than tell your high school to suck a fat one and get on with your life.

[hatesfreedom]

"I think it's disrespectful to disassemble the uniform," says Westgate, sitting in his kitchen with his stepmother, Dee, nearby. "It's disrespectful to the men and women who have fought and died before me."

i know only one thing, it is better to be alive.

anyway when i figure out how to disrespect the dead i'll let everybody know.

[OtakuLoki]

I'd like to take a moment to make clear that while the school involved has been sucking at the liquid stupid for ages, I'm not that impressed with the intelligence of the family involved, either.

Cluricaun, I have no idea what the exact Army regs might be. My understanding is that covers are usually removed when inside, or even under a weather awning. Of course Nucs are about the last people you want to ask about uniform regs. I could well be wrong.

Having said all that - the standard for boot camp photos is always the same, and includes wearing the cover. I have never seen one for any service that didn't include the cover. It's not the decision of the boot, nor is it something the photographer even thinks about - it's a standard pose meant as much for PR purposes as anything else. (And if I had any outrage, I'd be outraged that the idiot boot in question paid $250 for copies of his standard boot camp pic. Either he wanted enough pics to wallpaper his room, or the photographer's contract with the base was some kind of sweetheart deal for the photographer.)

[Zuul]

This is a completely boneheaded move from a PR point of view, if only because it gives the kid's mother the opportunity to peddle crap like this:

"We feel we're being discriminated against for being in the military," Dee said.

I look for this story to be added to the rounds of outraged emails decrying about the widespread discrimination against good, god-loving, true Americans. All because someone at that school feels the need to dig in their heels to enforce an ill-considered policy in the face of common sense. Thanks, Merrimack Valley High.

Yeah, you summed it up perfectly. If they have a policy against hats, that's their call and I really don't care. They should have found a way to handle it better and spare us the "evil liberal educators don't support the military!!!!1" glurge we can all now look forward to.

[Taumpy]

Hypocritical arbitrary rules in high schools are important (he said, tongue firmly planted in cheek) for students, because adult life is entirely full of things like this, and it never gets any better. So it teaches them to pick their battles. I have to agree with hates here, the school is perfectly in it's bounds to enforce whatever idiotic dress code for the pictures it wants. No question it's stupid, but that's how it goes.

The unfortunate thing really is how the kid's family is making a mountain out of a molehill here.

[Orual]

The school is exhibiting a slight level of bureaucratic douchnozzle-ocity here.

But who the hell cares about their fucking yearbook to that extent? I mean, this family prides itself so much on military service, and they're getting their knickers in a twist over a picture in a book that, for the most part, is going to end up slowly moldering in basements? Really? Who gives a crap?

[Orual]

The school is exhibiting a slight level of bureaucratic douchnozzle-ocity here.

But who the hell cares about their fucking yearbook to that extent? I mean, this family prides itself so much on military service, and they're getting their knickers in a twist over a picture in a book that, for the most part, is going to end up slowly moldering in basements? Really? Who gives a crap?

[Zuul]

Unfortunately, apparently the media thinks we do.

[Rube E. Tewesday]

Well, from watching "The First 48", it seems like the most important use of high school yearbooks is helping police officers identify murder suspects, so maybe it's a good idea to have a minimum number of concealing features in pictures.

[OtakuLoki]

Well, from watching "The First 48", it seems like the most important use of high school yearbooks is helping police officers identify murder suspects, so maybe it's a good idea to have a minimum number of concealing features in pictures.

I knew I had a reason for refusing to put my picture on my yearbook page!

[Glazer]

Well, from watching "The First 48", it seems like the most important use of high school yearbooks is helping police officers identify murder suspects, so maybe it's a good idea to have a minimum number of concealing features in pictures.

And have them stand in front of a ruled background instead of those fake looking clouds.

[Hatshepsut]

Snerk. I went to high school in New Hampshire (no, not Merrimac Valley High, although if memory serves I participated in speech and debate tournaments there). New Hampsters have long been known for favoring stridency in their political discourse. Although it's been many a year since I set foot in the state (I couldn't wait to get away, let me tell you), it doesn't appear they've changed. I would guess that the mom throwing a hissy fit and the school principal are both motivated by the thrill of RO rather than deeply held beliefs, although they themselves would strenuously (strenuously!!) deny that.