Dante Fernandez, 18, a graduating student of Hermiston High School, wears his cap, gown and U.S. Navy stole on June 5, 2025, outside his home in Hermiston before the school’s commencement ceremony. Shortly after, Fernandez and school officials disagreed over the Navy stole. Although the school offered him an alternative red, white, and blue cord, Fernandez declined to wear it, and the school denied him permission to board the bus to participate in the graduation procession. (Concha Fernandez/Contributed Photo)

Hermiston High School denies senior can participate in commencement over U.S. Navy stole

HERMISTON — A graduation attire dispute prevented a Hermiston High School senior from walking with his class after he refused to remove a Navy stole honoring his military commitment.

Dante Fernandez, 18, was one of 352 seniors preparing to board buses at Hermiston High School on June 5 for the trip to the Toyota Center in Kennewick, where the school held its annual commencement ceremony.

Many students wore sashes representing academic achievements, club affiliations and cultural regalia. Fernandez wore a dark blue stole representing the U.S. Navy, symbolizing his enlistment and upcoming service.

As students waited in the gym to board the buses, school officials told Fernandez his Navy stole did not meet the graduation requirements and would need to be removed.

“I’ve put in hours and tons of work to get into the Navy and especially into the program I’m pursuing, so it means a lot to earn the honor of wearing that,” Fernandez said.

Fernandez said he felt confused when he heard he might have to remove his stole, noting the school requires prior approval only for cultural regalia  not for military recognition, but offers red, white and blue cords for students enlisted in the military to wear at graduation.

School officials gave Fernandez a choice: Remove the stole or forfeit the chance to walk at graduation.

He chose not to remove it. Officials told him to pick up his diploma the following Monday, June 9.

“I felt defeated,” Fernandez said. “I had to reach out to my mom and tell her not to come, and I was barely holding myself together. It was just hard.”

Concha Fernandez, the mother of Dante Fernandez, described her son’s rejection from the ceremony as “heartbreaking.” She and the family already had arrived in the Tri-Cities area when her son called to break the news.

“I can’t say that every part of me didn’t want to say, ‘Take it off, take it off.’ But there was no way I wasn’t going to support him, because what he believes in is important,” she said. “As parents, we stand behind our children regardless of the decisions they make.”

Principal responds at board meeting

The Hermiston School Board held its regular meeting June 9 at the district office.

Before the meeting, a few of Fernandez’s family members and friends posted about the situation on Facebook. The post was shared on “The New What’s Happening Hermiston” page and drew more than 100 comments criticizing Hermiston High School’s decision.

One post informed the public about the school board meeting and implied the incident would be addressed with the board. Fernandez and his mother attended the meeting.

When the meeting reached the public comments portion, Hermiston High School Principal Tom Spoo spoke first, reading from a prepared statement.

“It’s true the student was told he could not participate in the ceremony if he insisted on wearing an unapproved stole,” Spoo said. “He was given two choices: Remove the stole and board the bus to graduation, or keep it on and forgo the opportunity to participate.”

Spoo said Fernandez made “the unfortunate decision” to not attend the ceremony.

He added the district made it clear to all students, several times, that those enlisted in the military would receive red, white and blue cords to wear at graduation.

“Let’s be clear,” he said. “Without structure —which includes rules, expectations and guidelines — we end up with chaos. Unfortunately, that’s what some individuals on social media seem intent on creating, driven by personal agendas, toxic conversations and negativity rather than facts or accountability.”

Still, Spoo acknowledged Fernandez’s accomplishment. “Although this young man chose not to participate, as his principal, I congratulate him on earning his diploma and commend him for choosing to serve.”

Concha addressed the board next, calling her son’s exclusion from the ceremony a violation of his civil rights, as Fernandez sat next to her, and demanding an apology.

“Given that he had earned the right to wear his stole, I respectfully request clarification as to why the policy was not followed in his case,” she said. “The U.S. Navy purchased and issued the stole. Denying him that — denying him and other enlistees – the right to proudly wear their stole is not only disrespectful to all of these new enlistees but disrespectful to all active and veteran members of the military these students have committed.”

Unclear policy

The Hermiston High School website states graduates can wear school-approved honors and military stoles and program-of-study cords during the ceremony.

But the Hermiston School District graduation policy does not mention military stoles or sashes.

The only relevant section states: “A student shall be allowed to wear a dress uniform issued by a branch of the U.S. Armed Forces if the student qualifies to receive a high school diploma, a modified diploma, an extended diploma or an alternative certificate of attendance and has completed basic training for and is an active member of a branch of the U.S. Armed Forces.”

The policy’s only reference to other attire states, “Graduating students will be allowed to wear ‘Native American items of cultural significance’ or other approved items of cultural/ethnic significance.”

Yet Maryanna Hardin, communications officer for the Hermiston School District 8R, said the district does not have a formal policy.

“In accordance with board policy, we recognize students for achievements earned during their high school years,” she said. “We also honor students who have committed to military service by awarding them red, white and blue cords to wear at graduation.”

A second chance to walk

Fernandez said a friend of his contacted state Rep. Greg Smith, R-Heppner, to share details about the situation. In return, Smith called Fernandez to invite him, his family and four other seniors who committed to military service to wear their military stoles and celebrate their achievements June 11 during the legislative session at the Oregon State Capitol in Salem.

For the ceremony, Smith said, he helped arrange the U.S. Navy representatives’ plan to post the colors and organizers expect a performance of the national anthem. Smith added he will use the constitutionally allowed four minutes during the legislative session’s opening to acknowledge the five students.

“At the end of the day, I wanted to celebrate these graduates without getting involved in what happened — or what people believe happened — on graduation day,” Smith said. “That’s not my issue. My issue is celebrating five graduates.”

Fernandez and his mother expressed their gratitude to Smith for giving him a second chance to walk at graduation.

“ It is amazing, especially after what happened at the high school,” Fernandez said. “I would pick to walk there every day over our high school. I think it’s gonna be super cool. It’s something that not many people at all can say it’s happened to them. So I’m super excited.”

Smith said he has worked with the Northwest Veterans Alliance and hopes to turn the recognition into an annual tradition.

“We’re thinking this could become a yearly event where we invite our graduates to the Capitol to send them off with a thank you,” he said.

After the graduation ceremony at the Capitol, Concha said her family has planned a graduation celebration for her son on June 14.