Students sent home for wearing American flags

[Peikko 1,575]

Or maybe its a sign of something much deeper. A country's flag should never be incendiary in the first place within its own borders. That's what is honestly ridiculous about this.

True, as I said, the whole school should have to wear lederhosen in October as penance for allowing this escalate into an issue that attracts media attention.

However, I still think a school uniform is a good idea.

[_Simpson_ 250]

I think that comes under the category of heresay.

School uniforms are clearly the way to go.

Is SMR right, is 'wearing' the US flag inherently disrespectful?

I would totally support uniforms but you seem to be avoiding meat of this story. They were sent home for wearing the flag with fears that it could instigate a fight. Do you agree with the Mr. Rodriguez?

[Usui Takumi 1,562]

Here are some excerpts from the flag code:

(d) The flag should never be used as wearing apparel, bedding, or drapery. It should never be festooned, drawn back, nor up, in folds, but always allowed to fall free. Bunting of blue, white, and red, always arranged with the blue above, the white in the middle, and the red below, should be used for covering a speaker's desk, draping the front of the platform, and for decoration in general.

(g) The flag should never have placed upon it, nor on any part of it, nor attached to it any mark, insignia, letter, word, figure, design, picture, or drawing of any nature.

(i) The flag should never be used for advertising purposes in any manner whatsoever. It should not be embroidered on such articles as cushions or handkerchiefs and the like, printed or otherwise impressed on paper napkins or boxes or anything that is designed for temporary use and discard. Advertising signs should not be fastened to a staff or halyard from which the flag is flown.

(j) No part of the flag should ever be used as a costume or athletic uniform. However, a flag patch may be affixed to the uniform of military personnel, firemen, policemen, and members of patriotic organizations. The flag represents a living country and is itself considered a living thing. Therefore, the lapel flag pin being a replica, should be worn on the left lapel near the heart.

USFlag.org

I suppose some of it is up to interpretation. If no part of the flag should ever be used as a costume or athletic uniform, does that extend to apparel? I would suggest it does. In any event, the flag should not be used as advertising. In the picture of the 4 boys, at least 3 of the T-shirts are advertisements for old navy and tapout. The one on the far right may just be a flag.

I actually read this last night. IMO its saying do not take a physical flag and make it into such items. The shirts are replicas like the pin.

[SMOKE 1,426]

bottom line - the vice principle is a dumb a$$ & the school district agrees... i hope they sue for harrasment, its a slam dunk.

................................................

Students Kicked Off Campus for Wearing American Flag Tees

By George Kiriyama

NBCBayArea.com

On any other day at Live Oak High School in Morgan Hill, Daniel Galli and his four friends would not even be noticed for wearing T-shirts with the American flag. But Cinco de Mayo is not any typical day especially on a campus with a large Mexican American student population.

Galli says he and his friends were sitting at a table during brunch break when the vice principal asked two of the boys to remove American flag bandannas that they wearing on their heads and for the others to turn their American flag T-shirts inside out. When they refused, the boys were ordered to go to the principal's office.

"They said we could wear it on any other day," Daniel Galli said, "but today is sensitive to Mexican-Americans because it's supposed to be their holiday so we were not allowed to wear it today."

The boys said the administrators called their T-shirts "incendiary" that would lead to fights on campus.

"They said if we tried to go back to class with our shirts not taken off, they said it was defiance and we would get suspended," Dominic Maciel, Galli's friend, said.

The boys really had no choice, and went home to avoid suspension. They say they're angry they were not allowed to express their American pride. Their parents are just as upset, calling what happened to their children, "total nonsense."

"I think it's absolutely ridiculous," Julie Fagerstrom, Maciel's mom, said. "All they were doing was displaying their patriotic nature. They're expressing their individuality."

But to many Mexican-American students at Live Oak, this was a big deal. They say they were offended by the five boys and others for wearing American colors on a Mexican holiday.

"I think they should apologize cause it is a Mexican Heritage Day," Annicia Nunez, a Live Oak High student, said. "We don't deserve to be get disrespected like that. We wouldn't do that on Fourth of July."

As for an apology, the boys and their families say, 'fat chance.'

"I'm not going to apologize. I did nothing wrong," Galli said. "I went along with my normal day. I might have worn an American flag, but I'm an American and I'm proud to be an American."

The five boys and their families met with a Morgan Hill Unified School District official Wednesday night. The district and the school dp not see eye-to-eye on the incident and released the following statement:

The district does not concur with the Live Oak High School administration's interpretation of either board or district policy related to these actions.

The boys will not be suspended and were allowed to return to school Thursday. We spotted one of them when he got to campus -- and, yes, he was sporting an American flag T-shirt.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/36981179?GT1=43001

[Peikko 1,575]

I actually read this last night. IMO its saying do not take a physical flag and make it into such items. The shirts are replicas like the pin.

See, how can anyone get all prissy about what should and shouldn't be done with a bloody flag? Sorry, this just strikes me as ridiculous and I know that's an anti US sentiment and I will be shot for saying it

[IR5FORMUMSIE 850]

grammar police!

More like the spelling police, but that's just obiter dicta.

I'd rather think about the Dream Police.

[SMR 368]

See, how can anyone get all prissy about what should and shouldn't be done with a bloody flag? Sorry, this just strikes me as ridiculous and I know that's an anti US sentiment and I will be shot for saying it

Actually, I agree. I just feel it's silly for these guys to get upset because they feel the flag is being disrespected when they themselves seem to be in violation of the flag code.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

...public schools in Europe require students to wear standardised school uniforms...

Really? They must have kicked Germany out of Europe 'cause last I checked there was no school uniform requirement to be found there in public schools. As I am quite certain there are lots of public schools across Europe where students wear clothing that's not uniform.

[Usui Takumi 1,562]

See, how can anyone get all prissy about what should and shouldn't be done with a bloody flag? Sorry, this just strikes me as ridiculous and I know that's an anti US sentiment and I will be shot for saying it

IMO its because ever since the war of 1812, it was a rallying point for the US and we associate it with every war and live lost etc. It would be similar to the respect you would have shown the British Monarchy in say the 19th century. Obviously the average british person has moved beyond this and to an extent Britain doesn't really have anything to rally around in the modern era. That's both a good and a bad thing in that strong nationalism is avoided, but I think to an extent Britain has lost a sense of who it is. (These aren't actually my views per say but the views of old work colleagues of mine when I worked there as well as my wife's family)

Edited May 6, 2010 by Sousuke

[one...two...tree 2,762]

This isn't a football game, its about a symbol of the sovereign nation in which we all live being shunned whilst a foreign flag is honored.

Symbols are often misused for people's own personal agenda. For example, when Madonna wore a cross. If these boys wore the t-shirts to taunt those who were celebrating a traditional holiday, then the symbolism changes. Context is everything. Again, I don't think the boys should have been sent home just for wearing the t-shirts, but I think it is well within the right of the school to prevent campus hostilities through taunting. Had they been sent home for wearing those t-shirts on any other day would be another issue.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Or maybe its a sign of something much deeper. A country's flag should never be incendiary in the first place within its own borders. That's what is honestly ridiculous about this.

Generally speaking, I agree.

But that isn't the consideration that the principal was faced with.

Now if the school board implements a dress code that prohibits any clothing that displays nationalist imagery, then the principal wouldn't be faced with a situation that he feels it necessary to act upon, the kids would have other things to worry about and the school wouldn't be at the center of a media circus.

Really? They must have kicked Germany out of Europe 'cause last I checked there was no school uniform requirement to be found there in public schools. As I am quite certain there are lots of public schools across Europe where students wear clothing that's not uniform.

If not formal uniform, I would expect that there are dress codes.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

I actually read this last night. IMO its saying do not take a physical flag and make it into such items. The shirts are replicas like the pin.

[Heracles 417]

Uniforms are the best thing a public school can implement. There is no logical or rational argument against them.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

[IR5FORMUMSIE 850]

Symbols are often misused for people's own personal agenda. For example, when Madonna wore a cross. If these boys wore the t-shirts to taunt those who were celebrating a traditional holiday, then the symbolism changes. Context is everything. Again, I don't think the boys should have been sent home just for wearing the t-shirts, but I think it is well within the right of the school to prevent campus hostilities through taunting. Had they been sent home for wearing those t-shirts on any other day would be another issue.

I agree 100%, that's the elephant in the room that I was talking about. Was it coincidence that they all dressed this way on the same day. It doesn't excuse the school's actions but what is really going on?