GREENVILLE, Mich. – There’s discord over graduation cords at Greenville High School.

Greenville School District Superintendent Linda VanHouten recently banned graduating seniors from displaying honors cords at last weekend’s ceremony that were donated to students for their community service and commitments to join the military, WZZM reports.

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A local organization gave away red, white and blue cords to students who plan to enlist in the armed forces, and solid red cords were handed out to students who donated blood regularly. But VanHouten, who was “too busy” to discuss the issue with the media, insisted only academic achievements deserve recognition and forbid students from displaying the colors.

VanHouten “says the reason she won’t allow the cords is that they have to draw the line somewhere,” WZZM reports.

Parent Amy Eager, whose son Tyler Navarre is joining the Marines, was “disgusted” by the ban.

“These children are signing their life away for the next four, five, some of them 20 years, so everyone can sleep peaceful in their beds,” she said.

Parent Christine Lincoln, whose daughter received a red chord, agrees with Eager and she launched a Change.org petition in an attempt to persuade district officials to reverse course. Lincoln said her husband served two tours in Iraq, and she’s “always stood behind our military no matter what.”

“I think everyone should be able to be excited, happy, and acknowledge their achievements,” Lincoln said.

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“Last week Greenville High School presented our high school students going into the military with red white and blue cords, along with students that have donated six or more pints of blood … only to be told they are unable to wear to graduation!” according to the petition, which is addressed to the Greenville school board. “Allow Greenville kids to wear military and blood red cords!”

“They’re making one of the most selfless decisions of their life and their families should be able to watch them display this by wearing the cords they were given just like the students wearing them for academics!” Greenville resident Jessica Johnson wrote in the petition comments. “As an Army Veteran wife I’m completely disgusted that Greenville Public Schools let the Blue Star Mothers come present these cords but yet they’re not going to let them wear them proudly!

“These women that support our military by doing special things every day for our men and women serving (and) just want to show people how special these young men are. I hope by reading the many comments from other Greenville residents you will see that these boys deserve to be recognized!”

The parent petition garnered over 340 signatures and dozens of comments over the last week.

“I think they should be allowed,” Greenville resident Andrew Jones wrote. “These students are willing to make the biggest sacrifice for us. If we can’t acknowledge that, we have failed.”

“The school says that the cords are for something they earned and accomplished in high school. These kids earned those cords, for bravery and sacrificing,” wrote Dawn Snyder. “They accomplished learning how to be a great citizen, being selfless, and honor. GPS should be proud that these students learned and accomplished this …”

WZZM contacted several area school districts and most told the news site students can wear whatever honors cords they want, and parents who commented on the petition confirmed students in other schools wore their military and blood donation cords for graduation without issue.