National Honor Society Collars Barred at HS Graduation — and You Won't Believe the Reason (No, Actually You Will)

When seniors who are National Honor Society members attend graduation at Plano (Texas) Senior High School this month, they aren't allowed to wear collars (i.e., stoles) bearing the NHS emblem, WFAA-TV reported.

Image source: WFAA-TV

KellyAnn Frederick, mother of one NHS member who's graduating from the school, wrote the principal to find out why — and the response was that graduates aren't to wear any club or organizational regalia, the station said.

But Frederick added to WFAA that an NHS sponsor claimed administrators want all students to feel included at graduation ceremonies rather than some being singled out.

"They deserve it," she told the station regarding the NHS members. "They worked so hard for it. If you choose not to work that hard, then that's okay. I wasn't an NHS kid. I didn't wear the NHS stole when I graduated. But friends of mine did, and I was OK."

More from WFAA:

The school district confirmed the practice on Tuesday, and that it differs from nearby Plano West and Plano East High Schools, where students do wear NHS stoles.

At Plano Senior High, students with a GPA of 3.6 or higher can wear a plain honor stole, but not the National Honor Society stole that signifies both grades and community service.

Garrett Frederick told WFAA that he's been a National Honor Society member since his sophomore year.

"I'm not just an honor student — I'm an NHS student. I worked hard. I put in the hours," he told the station, noting that he logged 20 hours of community service every semester.

"I was really looking forward to wearing it and being able to say I was a part of it, because I have friends that go to [Plano East High School] and [Plano West High School], and they're all wearing it," Garrett Frederick added to WFAA. "So it's like, I don't know why we're not allowed to wear it. I don't get it."

He said he and his friends in the NHS might start a petition or talk to the principal.