Students sent home for wearing American flags

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

That's not the point. What I find inexcusable is to send kids wearing shirts with our nation's flag home while tolerating kids wearing flags of a neighboring country. There's no justification for that. Nor is there any justification for the display of our flag on our soil to raise any potential for violence. If there are indeed kids in our schools that are offended by our nation's flag, then perhaps they ought to go to schools on different soils where our flag isn't displayed.

Wanna see a Mexican flag in school? Try a school in Mexico.

You're angry about that, I get it. But you're losing sight of the real issue.

As I see it this is simply a question of whether or not the teacher's decision was correct based on his understanding of the school and the student population. Perhaps it was correct, perhaps it wasn't.

My point is that the teacher shouldn't have been put in the situation where he had to make that decision and put the school at the center of a media circus. Assuming of course that there is a problem in the student population over nationalist imagery...

Edited May 6, 2010 by Its a MADHOUSE

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Today it's just that one school. Tomorrow it's all the schools. That's just bull. Again, if the American flag offends you, don't be in America. If you prefer the Mexican flag, go to Mexico.

Well the hard fact of it is that the US does have a diverse population and simply saying "don't be in America/go to Mexico" isn't going to address it.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

You're angry about that, I get it. But you're losing sight of the real issue.

I think it's you that's losing sight of the real issue. That issue being that we are expected to cater to a population that migrates here with no intent to integrate and assimilate. Not to sound like a broken record but if the American flag offends you, don't be here.

Edited May 6, 2010 by Mr. Big Dog

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

You're angry about that, I get it. But you're losing sight of the real issue.

As I see it this is simply a question of whether or not the teacher's decision was correct based on his understanding of the school and the student population. Perhaps it was correct, perhaps it wasn't.

My point is that the teacher shouldn't have been put in the situation where he had to make that decision and put the school at the center of a media circus. Assuming of course that there is a problem in the student population over nationalist imagery...

Why assume that a fight breaking out between students is the end of the world? We all got into fights as kids, ####### is the big deal? Why must every conflict be staved off and avoided? Let them fight it out.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

I think it's you that's losing sight of the real issue. That issue being that we are expected to cater to a population that migrates here with no intent to assimilate. Not to sound like a broken record but if the American flag offends you, don't be here.

I think you need to accept the reality of the situation - the US has a lot of people in it and those people are here for different reasons.

As I told you - either there is a problem at that school or there isn't. How exactly should teachers be dealing with this kind of thing?

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Why assume that a fight breaking out between students is the end of the world? We all got into fights as kids, ####### is the big deal? Why must every conflict be staved off and avoided? Let them fight it out.

All I can say is that I wouldn't envy being a teacher at a US high school. You let the kids fight and someone gets hurt - you and the school will be held liable for their injuries. Try to diffuse a potential situation and you get your name dragged through the media (and probably the courts) over constitutional rights.

Does noone else see how ridiculous this all is?

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

All I can say is that I wouldn't envy being a teacher at a US high school. You let the kids fight and someone gets hurt - you and the school will be held liable for their injuries.

Kids get into fights in HS all the time. How many teachers are held liable for their injuries?

For better or worse, kids fighting in HS is considered "normal" if not desirable.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

I think you need to accept the reality of the situation - the US has a lot of people in it and those people are here for different reasons.

As I told you - either there is a problem at that school or there isn't. How exactly should teachers be dealing with this kind of thing?

Well, if they want to send kids home for wearing - as you'd call it - nationalist imagery, then they ought to send all of them home. But to pick on those kids that wear this nation's imagery while tolerating those that wear the imagery of a neighboring country just doesn't cut it.

[Peikko 1,575]

agreed

I don't think we should be making this the children's problem. Why expect children to have a sophisticated view about symbolism and be able to determine that something their parents believe, perhaps because they are not USC's, is inherently unpatriotic? That's rather absurd.

Edited May 6, 2010 by Madame Cleo

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Kids get into fights in HS all the time. How many teachers are held liable for their injuries?

For better or worse, kids fighting in HS is considered "normal" if not desirable.

I've no idea, but there is a reason that a lot of public schools screen students for weapons before being admitted onto the premises.

If you are injured at school, the school has a liability exposure similar to that which an employer does if you suffer an accident at work.

[Usui Takumi 1,562]

All I can say is that I wouldn't envy being a teacher at a US high school. You let the kids fight and someone gets hurt - you and the school will be held liable for their injuries. Try to diffuse a potential situation and you get your name dragged through the media (and probably the courts) over constitutional rights.

Does noone else see how ridiculous this all is?

Actually its not ridiculous at all, it is in a way a microcosm of the situation as a whole.

Why should a Mexican-American be upset about the American flag? Its his/her flag too.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Well, if they want to send kids home for wearing - as you'd call it - nationalist imagery, then they ought to send all of them home. But to pick on those kids that wear this nation's imagery while tolerating those that wear the imagery of a neighboring country just doesn't cut it.

It's one incident - and as I said it's probably easier to send home half a dozen kids than a few hundred.

Point being - the school should have a clear policy so that teachers don't have to make subjective judgements about dress.

Why should a Mexican-American be upset about the American flag? Its his/her flag too.

I have no idea - I don't know if there is a problem at that school or not. But if there is, clearly it needs to be addressed.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

I don't think we should be making this the children's problem. Why expect children to have a sophisticated view about symbolism and be able to determine that something their parents believe, perhaps because they are not USC's, is inherently unpatriotic? That's rather absurd.

It shouldn't be the children's problem, but similarly it shouldn't be the teacher's either.

As I say if there is a problem among the student population at the school it needs to be addressed. If there isn't, then the teacher made a bad call based on a false belief.

[Bernie C 24]

Well the hard fact of it is that the US does have a diverse population and simply saying "don't be in America/go to Mexico" isn't going to address it.

I'm so happy that summer is finally coming so I can wear my sandals and no socks.

My wife is going to paint my big toes with the US Flag on one and the Vietnamese Flag on the other. I will go shoeless and sockless as much as possible. I am very proud of her heritage as well as mine. Maybe well paint my thumbnails too hehe!

[Peikko 1,575]

Today it's just that one school. Tomorrow it's all the schools. That's just bull. Again, if the American flag offends you, don't be in America. If you prefer the Mexican flag, go to Mexico.

I don't think it's a case of the American flag offending these children. I am sure there is an American flag at the school and I am sure they pledge allegiance to that flag prior to the start of the school day, that is certainly done in my kid's school. I don't think you can expect children to understand that a celebration of culture heritage can be seen by some people as provocative, or that other people might counter that provocation with a display of what they deem to be their own cultural heritage. I think this is expecting a level of sophistication that is way over the heads of the average 12/13/14 year old.

Edited May 6, 2010 by Madame Cleo