Students press board over National Honor Society graduation regalia at RCB; administrators cite school‑level authority

Students and a parent from RCB asked the Harrison County Board of Education to intervene after school administrators declined a student petition seeking permission for National Honor Society members to wear stoles at graduation.

Jaylen Smith, student body president, said 28 of 42 senior chapter members signed a petition requesting distinctive recognition (stoles or similar regalia) to mark National Honor Society membership and offered to fundraise to cover any costs. Julia Harold and other students said the request reflected long‑standing practice at some schools and that the policy change was unexpected as graduation approached.

Administrators and the board reviewed chapter bylaws during the meeting and noted the national organization delegates final decisions about chapter regalia to the school level. Pam (administration) and the principal’s sponsor recalled past variations among schools: honor students typically receive a gold “honor” cord at a 3.5 GPA threshold, while chapter officers may have received medallions or different stoles in previous years.

Board members expressed sympathy with students’ desire for recognition but emphasized that a school‑level decision is required to preserve a chapter’s standing with the national organization. Administrators said they had ordered medallions for officers and that cords/stoles practices would remain a school decision in line with chapter bylaws.

What’s next: The board asked administration and school leaders to clarify the chapter’s process and communications. Students left a petition with the board; the matter remains with school leadership to resolve consistent with chapter bylaws.

Quote: “It is not unreasonable to have passion for everyone to be recognized for this honor that we all earned,” Jaylen Smith told the board.

Provenance: topicintro SEG 1510; topfinish SEG 2466.