VIDEO: East Bay military student to pick up high school diploma after denied walking at graduation

BRENTWOOD (KRON) — Monday an East Bay high school student will receive his diploma after he was denied the chance to walk at graduation for wearing his military uniform.

KRON4’s Will Tran is at Liberty Union High School in Brentwood this morning gathering more details.

He reports 18-year-old Harland Fletcher is a U.S. Army Reserve Medic for the state of California.

Fletcher wanted to wear his military uniform at graduation last Friday.

Student barred from walking at graduation in Army Service uniform

He says he discussed the matter in advance with several school officials.

When graduation day came, the school insisted that he wear his cap and gown on top of his uniform, even though it is against military code to cover a service uniform.

Fletcher refused to cover the uniform and as a result, the school did not allow him to cross the graduation stage.

Harland Fletcher by law has right to wear army uniform at high school graduation. But on fri was denied @kron4news pic.twitter.com/nz42tlpg96
— Will Tran (@KRON4WTran) June 12, 2017

This morning the district’s Superintendent is responding to the incident, writing “On behalf of the Liberty Union High School District, I publicly apologize to him and his family for this incident. No slight was meant to Harland nor to the U.S. Army.”

Fletcher will be allowed to pick up his diploma later today.

Here is the full statement from Superintendent Eric Volta:

Dear Liberty Community,
After reading AB 1463; 2009 STAT. Chapter 296 It has become clear that Harland Fletcher may have the right to wear his US Army Dress Uniform at his graduation and on behalf of the Liberty Union High School District I publically apologize to him and his family for this Incident.
No slight was meant to Harland nor to the US Army. In fact with a little prior notification, I’m sure that Principal Walsh and the site administration would have come to this conclusion before the ceremony. Principal Walsh and the District do support the armed forces as exemplified by his recognition of graduating seniors that have chosen the military for their post-graduate plans during the graduation ceremony.
Again I apologize to Harland for this unfortunate incident, and thank him for his service to our country.
Sincerely,
Eric Volta