Posted on 06/22/2017 9:22:40 AM PDT by Morgana
FULL TITLE: Teen Kicked out Graduation for Only Pants He Can Afford. Three Minutes Until Start, Sees Stranger Outside
Leroy Solis Jr. walked across the stage at the Freeman Coliseum in San Antonio, Texas to receive his high school diploma. He looked like many of the young men graduating from MacArthur High School that day.
He wore a blue cap and gown along with dress pants, a dress shirt, and a tie. Solis Jr. did not stand out from the crowd of graduates.
However, the reason he was actually able to walk across the stage during graduation stands out as an exceptionally touching example of kindness. In just three minutes, this high school graduate went from not being allowed to participate in the ceremony to lining up with the rest of his classmates.
Solis Jr. was presented with information and expectations pertaining to the graduation ceremony. Dress code for the ceremony was one of the topics included.
A newsletter from the principal stated, “Failure to comply can result in not being allowed to participate in the ceremony or removal from the ceremony . . . This is not something that I ever want to see happen, but these expectations will be enforced.”
Solis Jr. was required to wear dress slacks, a dress shirt, and a tie. He did not own slacks or a tie, though.
Instead of asking his single father on a fixed income to buy him the required clothing that he might end up wearing only once, he planned on wearing jeans and no tie. The high school senior did not think he would encounter a problem with not meeting the dress code because he thought the gown would cover his lack of dress clothing.
When he showed up to the ceremony wearing jeans, he was sent home. With three minutes left until the graduates had to line up, Solis Jr. left and walked to his car.
Before getting into his car, he saw a young man similar to him in size. Not only was he similar in size, but he was wearing dress slacks!
Solis Jr. explained to the stranger that he needed dress slacks in order to walk in his graduation ceremony that was about to start. Amazingly, the young man and his father told Solis Jr. to get in their truck where they traded pants.
The young man and father told Solis Jr., “Go cross the stage.” He quickly found somebody selling $10 ties just outside the Coliseum in the parking lot.
Thanks to the young man’s kindness in the midst of an unusual request to give a stranger his pants, Solis Jr. was able to proudly cross the stage without putting financial strain on his family. Rosemary De Los Santos, Solis Jr.’s sister, shared this story along with a picture in hopes of finding the man who gave up his pants so that her brother could walk across the stage.
Having served on a school board and attending 40+ graduations I have seen this and given what it takes for a student to walk at graduation. These are still minor children, and unlike our baby boomer generation they do not see things and solve problems the way we do.
These students can often be in the same situation as a Michael Orr but without a benefactor, as christians is this not who we are called upon to feed and clothe? As responsible citizens are we not to elect governing officials who will govern justly and righteously?
Anytime our nation fails a student who has striven to succeed (H.S. graduate) by denying them the fruits of their labor (Graduation Ceremony) how are we different from a confiscatory tyrannical government?
The one thing this student owned, the right to be recognized as an equal among peers as an American, taken away by a dictatorial tyrant (Principal). Shame upon an administrator in a school that cares so little for his/her charges that they don’t make allowance for or anticipate the needs of these students. One may not buy clothes with EBT cards.
The sad part is the class warfare inside academia that promotes Administrators that have no heart of mercy or love for their students.
It’s interesting how strict some of these public schools are with their little graduation rules, yet they seem to produce mostly young people with little or no education and many in the big cities they don’t even know the basics and can’t even speak proper English.
Very odd.
I’m very cynical. Since organizing a squadron Christmas party fifteen years ago being told I could not include jacket and tie in the dress code in order to protect us from being called snobby commanders ives - that some of the enlisted guys might not be able to afford a tie I’ve been outraged at the dressing down of this once great country
Anyone can go to goodwill and get a tie and jacket. There are also and in San Antonio I happen to know has many options Career Gear is one of about 15 on a google search
He did. Oy think the rule applied to him
He can continue that hoping the public will continue to find his story of woe and continue his dependency on the kindness of strangers like some detestable literary character and perpetuate generational poverty or he can get it together and get a jacket and tie
No matter what this continues to be a capitalistic society financial health depends on going by the rules.
I hear ya.
I’m curious if this guy’s fixed income might be a monthly EBT deposit.
Well, how sweet. The trouble is that a lot of these kids who don’t have dress pants for the graduation but do have $200 Air-Jordan sneakers.
And it's a fancy one, too. Look right here, it say "Pollo by Ralf Lorren"!
I find it humorous to see 3rd worlders wearing shirts denoting the losing team as Super Bowl or World Series Champs.
I guess it’s good enough for Ghana!
Graduation is an optional ceremony. Why all the panic?
The obvious question, was it a Trump Tie?
Technically everyone has a fixed income. A salary is fixed. A wage is fixed even though hours may vary somewhat. Retirees are on a fixed income.
could have bought either at the local goodwill for a $1.
The school should have told them to contact the class sponsor if they didn’t have the dress code outfit.
I have seen some really bad news outfits go across the stage. . .students trying to push the button to make a statement. This year the girls’ shoes were totally bizarre and who knows what was underneath the gowns.
I have walkwd out of goodwill with nothing the last 4 times i went. Will not go back. Not sure about clothes but walmart beats most of their prices. It NOT a not for profit organization. It makes mega millions on donated products and sells them for retail.
I’m not falling for this story. Ask a friend or neighbor to borrow theirs. Heck, the school nurse might have had clothes for graduation if he’d bothered to ask. The nurse usually has clothes for those who don’t follow the dress code rules or have some sort of accident.
I don’t remember how many prom dresses I’ve furnished girls. All they had to do was ask. I’d pick them up for practically nothing at thrift stores and garage sales. When our daughter graduated, I donated a box full of them to the school nurse.
He assumes that he will never wear dress slacks or a tie again.
This tells me that he never plans to go to a job interview.
I wish I could find where you guys shop! The thrift stores around us are “expensive”. I did buy a really nice dress shirt - practically new - for $10. A decent pair of dress slacks will be $15 - $20. No idea about a tie - but I’m guessing $4 to $5. Still a lot cheaper than the stores. And for the $10 he spent on the tie - he MAY have been able to find a worn-out pair of slacks and a crummy tie at the ones around me.
I had a cartoon once - “You know you’re a plugger when you only shop at the thrift store when there is a sale on.” That was me. (Now it usually doesn’t matter!) There’s only a handful of clothing that I’ll buy at the store anymore. (Socks, underwear, Levi jeans and Carhart pants, work gloves)
This is such crap.
The kid can afford a car but can’t go to the Salvation Army to buy a tie and a pair of pants for a dollar.
I think dress codes for what is worn under the ceremonial graduation cap and gown have zero, zip, zilch to do with anything that is essential & necessary to academic achievement or respect for the rewards of it. It is 100% about making rules for the sake of making rules - because someone gave someone too much authority.
We were always careful to check with the parents of the kids who we knew had financial problems(especially the year when our local yacht company had a massive layoff.) More than one kid were given outfits to wear, without anyone the wiser
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