Student Shows Up For Graduation In Sneakers, Teacher Gives Him His Shoes So He Isn't Thrown Out Over Dress Code

A high school student in Louisiana, U.S., was almost banned from attending his graduation ceremony after he didn¡¯t follow the school¡¯s dress code until a teacher stepped up as his saviour.

Daverius Peters was almost barred from his high school's graduation ceremony on May 19 for wearing sneakers and was told by a school representative that he had violated the ceremony¡¯s dress code, Washington Post reported.

Facebook/John Butler

¡°She said my shoes violated the dress code and I couldn¡¯t attend the ceremony unless I changed them,¡± Peters told Washington Post. The school had made it mandatory for students to wear ¡°dark dress shoes¡± and had categorically stated that no ¡°athletic shoes¡± were to be allowed.

Given the fact that the graduation was about to start, it also meant that Peters did not have the option to leave and go purchase new shoes.

According to Peters, the realisation that he would not be allowed into graduation left him ¡°humiliated." He told the outlet: ¡°I was in shock. I felt humiliated. I just wanted to walk across the stage and get my diploma.¡±

CBS News

That¡¯s when John Butler, a paraeducator and student mentor at the school, stepped in to help. Butler slipped off his tan loafers and handed them to Peters so he could join his classmates.

¡°It was a no-brainer. This was the most important moment in his life up to that point, and I wasn¡¯t going to let him miss it for anything," Butler told Washington Post.

There was, however, one considerable problem: ¡°He wears a size 9, and I wear a size 11.¡±

Ignoring the size discrepancy, Peters excitedly slid into Butler¡¯s tan loafers and bolted inside for the ceremony, just as the doors were closing. Butler took his seat wearing only socks, proudly disregarding the glares from people confused by his lack of footwear.

After shuffling across the stage to receive his diploma, Peters returned the shoes to Butler after graduation, at which point he also thanked the educator for stepping in to help.

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