LIVE OAK, Fla. — Suwannee County school officials say they did not prohibit or discourage a Suwannee High graduate from taking part in Saturday’s commencement ceremony.

According to a statement from Superintendent Ted Roush, the interactions of the student, Robert Warrlock, and family members with school district officials as well as law enforcement were “misrepresented.

“At no time prior to the graduation ceremony did the parent(s), or student, call the principal’s office or the superintendent’s office to discuss the concerns or come in person to either office to have discussion to deal with the student’s request,” Roush said in a statement issued to the Democrat on Tuesday afternoon, following allegations that the district violated state law by not allowing Warrlock to take part in the ceremony while wearing his dress uniform as an active member of the military.

SHS bars graduate from walking in dress uniform

Roush said a person claiming to be Warrlock’s parent called to him in a crowd at Langford Stadium at 7:46 p.m. Saturday to make the request to him about allowing Warrlock to walk in the graduation ceremony in his dress uniform.

“There was no time to determine factually who this person was, or who the student was, other than being given a name among a crowd of graduates and spectators; and whether or not the request was accurately represented,” Roush said.

Warrlock said he had asked SHS Principal Ronnie Gray about being permitted to wear his dress uniform during the ceremony during graduation practice. Warrlock added he sent articles about the state law, which was passed last year by the Florida Legislature and signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis, to Gray the following day.

In the district’s statement, Gray said he had a brief interaction of “less than 10 seconds” with a student “who I meet for the first time in a hurried rush while walking onto the field for graduation practice…asked a question about something related to wearing a uniform.”

According to Gray, he consulted with retired Marine MSgt. Douglas Aukerman, the high school’s NJROTC instructor, about military protocols related to the situation the following day, determining that the dress uniform should have been worn, but “that the uniform of the day for the outer garment is cap and gown during the ceremony.”

Gray added that Aukerman relayed that message to Warrlock, who said he understood.

The district’s statement said that Warrlock attended Suwannee’s baccalaureate ceremony Wednesday night, wearing his dress uniform beneath his cap and gown.

Saturday night, school officials said Warrlock arrived for graduation with his cap and gown in hand and “made the decision not to participate in the graduation ceremony.”

“At no time did we prohibit, deny, or discourage this student from wearing his dress uniform,” Gray said, reiterating that the school’s position is the uniform of the day was for cap and gown to be the outer garment. “To the contrary, he was encouraged to wear his dress uniform, which he did.”

Roush added that statements made on social media that claim school officials requested to have the student removed from the stadium are false.

“This student chose not to walk while having his cap and gown in hand,” Roush said. “The Suwannee County Sheriff’s Office … in no way is responsible for Mr. Warrlock choosing not to participate in the graduation ceremony.

“This is Suwannee County, Florida, a rural red, while and blue military- and law enforcement-supporting community; and to suggest that somehow there is a lack of admiration or support in our schools or community for the young men and women who choose to serve is quite frankly disappointing.”