Graduation Decision Faces A Holdenville High School Senior

Wednesday, May 10th 2006, 10:26 am

By: News On 6

Michael Lueking is having a month that will shape the rest of his life. He graduated US Marine boot camp last week, and returned home just in time to graduate from high school. But a school policy may throw a wrench in his plans.

News on 6 anchor Tami Marler traveled to Holdenville in Hughes County, to find out how.

Holdenville School Superintendent Shellie Gammill is excited about Holdenville's graduating class of 2006. "This is one of the most talented groups of graduating seniors I've seen come across, we are going to greatly miss them."

One Holdenville graduate is celebrating an accomplishment of his own. Michael Lueking just graduated Marine boot camp after 13 grueling weeks. He planned it around his high school graduation and he made a special request of school officials. "I asked 'em five, six months ago if I could wear my dress blues, and they said they'd think about it."

At the home of the fighting Wolverines, the football stadium to be packed on Friday. But Michael and his family don't know if they'll be here. "They're threatening to not let me walk across the stage in my dress blues. The main thing I guess was yesterday when he went down to the school and the principal said, no, he wanted everyone to wear cap and gown."

Michaelâ€™s mom, Melisa Lueking: "This is a small town, they should be proud. But it don't seem like they are."

Michaelâ€™s dad, Michael Lueking Sr.: â€œtheir concern is, well he's getting ready to go fight for his country, so why not let him wear his dress blues?"

"The school policy is everyone wears a cap and gown." Gammill says the policy keeps graduates "uniform", in the spirit of the school. She says, if they allow one graduate to dress differently, how will they address those who ask to wear religious, ethnic or other clothing?

School officials scrambled to find a spare cap-and-gown so Lueking could walk with his class. Michael Lueking: "I refuse to buy one because I was gonna wear my dress blues."

For Michael Lueking, it's a matter of principal. For the school, it is policy. Holdenville will know which one prevails on Friday.

About 65 seniors will graduate from Holdenville High School at the stadium Friday night at 6.

Lueking leaves for a US Marine base in California early Monday morning.