Pasan Nanayakkara
Daverius Peters, a senior at Hahnville High School, was looking forward to his graduation day. He had dressed up in his finest outfit, which included a brand new pair of Alexander McQueen black leather sneakers with white soles. However, his excitement turned into disappointment when he was stopped at the door by a school staffer who deemed his shoes inappropriate for the dress code.
The school enforces a dress code that requires students to wear dark-colored dress shoes and prohibits slippers, athletic shoes, or open-toed footwear. Daverius believed his shoes complied with the policy, but a school employee had a different opinion. Regrettably, the staff member rejected his shoes and shut the door on him, leaving him feeling disheartened. Daverius soon realized that he might not be able to attend his graduation ceremony because of this incident.
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Fortunately, Daverius was not alone in his moment of need. His high school teacher, John Butler, was waiting outside for his wife and saw Daverius’s distress. Mr. Butler, a paraeducator who had mentored Daverius multiple times during his high school years, stepped in to help.
Mr. Butler intervened and convinced the staff member to let Daverius in, allowing him to stride across the stage to be awarded his hard-earned diploma.However, to comply with the dress code, Mr. Butler gave Daverius his own brown dress shoes to wear instead of his sneakers. Daverius admits that he felt uncomfortable shuffling across the stage with oversize shoes, but he felt wonderful as everyone cheered him on.
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Daverius’s mother, Jima Smith, was initially taken aback by her son’s brown shoes and didn’t realize it was him until he was already on stage. She had no idea what had happened until Daverius told her afterward. She was grateful to Mr. Butler for his selfless act of kindness and thanked him for keeping her son from missing his graduation day.
St. Charles Parish Public Schools’ director of public information, Stevie Crovetto, stated that they aim to enhance the inclusivity of the graduation dress code. However, Mr. Butler’s quick thinking and generosity saved the day for Daverius and his family.
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In conclusion, Mr. Butler’s intervention saved Daverius’s graduation day and allowed him to celebrate this important milestone in his life. It is important to recognize educators like Mr. Butler, who go above and beyond to help their students. Let’s spread the word about his selfless gesture and show appreciation for all the dedicated educators out there.
