The prom has come and gone. Several hundred students will talk about it for years to come and will even tell their kids what a great time and memories they will have after their prom.

But I know of two that won’t. And the rationale does not sit well with me. I always thought that once one “had served their time for their crime,” their debt to society was paid for. I guess I am wrong.

Most people know the names of all involved but I am not going to use them. I will lay out the facts as I know them and let you make a decision as to whether it is right or wrong.

The first thing this young man did that fired up the administration was arrive at last year’s prom in shorts and dress shirt. Mind you, there was no dress code at the time detailing appropriate dress to the dance. I wore a flannel shirt and jeans to one of mine, so I’ll cast no stones.

I was told that the current dress code covers such infractions, due mainly to his actions of last year. I think it was nice of him to demonstrate the loophole in the rules and help the administration correct it. It took over forty years.

The next thing I heard of that caused consternation with the administration was a senior prank, on or about the last day of school, that had something to do with water balloons. Now discipline was applied to, as I understand it, one of approximately thirty students involved. You guessed it. (If I can’t get you now, I will later. It happened to me too.)

While serving an administered detention for this abominable action, the student was asked by the administrator if he was entering the military. He replied in the affirmative and was told that “he would not make it because he did not have what it takes.” I will admit that I don’t know the exact verbiage, but you get the drift.

Since then, the young man graduated in the top 5% of his class of 800+ Navy seamen and has earned college credits. He has passed a military background check for security clearances. He is even allowed to carry a weapon if his assignment deems it necessary. I can state with confidence that the military training received makes a better person for society. Yet, for the safety (?) of the current students, because of his indiscretion with water balloons (they are dangerous??); he was not allowed to attend the prom. However, they will allow alleged drug users, alcohol abusers and sexual bullies to attend. I am supposed to feel safe?

Now I get angry. I am a veteran, as are my three sons and my father and his brothers. Is my family a threat to other families? Do we need to be denied social contact with the rest of society because we were in the military or of possible past actions we have served the penalty for? According to the current administration we do.

I believe the young man in question filled out the proper paper work for the school to attend the prom. He is a graduate of our schools, was asked by a current student to attend, and is within the stated age guidelines. He was given a thirty-six hour pass from the military to attend, only to be told he could not by our administration. So what is the problem? Where is the “safety” issue”?

I will tell you. There is no safety issue, but there is a problem. It is called retribution, and we know it happens all the time. My own sons paid for some of my actions twenty years after I graduated. I have heard from several parents that the reason they do not say anything is because they still have kids in school.

The system has a zero tolerance policy, and I use that loosely, for the students. How can we expect our young men and women to respect a policy that is supposed to treat all equally when an athletic star or a monetary benefactor’s student is not?

Why isn’t the same zero tolerance policy applied to the administration and staff? How is it that some people in authority positions can get away with it and others can’t? Let me state at this time that I am aware that state and federal law prevent the disclosure of administrative action administered to the parties involved. That not withstanding, we are still a small enough community that actions, or inactions, do not stay hidden long. As much that is allowable by law, administrative action, and the reason for the action, should be made public.

From where I sit, there was no justifiable reason to deny this young man and the student that invited him to attend the prom. And retribution is not a justifiable action, either.

By John Kessler