Tensions Prompt School To Alter Dress Code

cbsdenver.com ^ | 4/5/06 | Mike Hooker

[beyond the sea]

(CBS4) WESTMINSTER, Colo. The immigration debate and recent demonstrations over the issue have led to a change in the dress code for a middle school in Adams County.

Students at Shaw Heights Middle School are no longer allowed to wear anything that is patriotic, including camouflage pants, because they have become a political symbol for a version of patriotism, CBS4 reports.

"It upsets me that we cannot support our troops -- the military," said Kirsten Golgart, an eighth grader who was told she'd be suspended if she didn't change her clothes. "We can't support our country. If we're American, I think we should be proud to be an American."

A letter went home to parents last week that explained for student safety, no clothes were allowed with political messages or flags of any sort.

Myla Shepherd, the principal, said that tensions over the immigration issue were apparent when more than 20 students came to school wearing camouflage jackets and pants, apparently to show what they call their patriotism and American pride.

"We started seeing name calling," Shepherd said. "Safety is my first concern, so I'm going to do things to keep us from getting to a point where anybody is hurt or being suspended for fighting."

She said the dress code alteration diffused the tension immediately.

"I don't think that's a solution, though because you're punishing 400 students because the action of 100," said Eric Golgart, Kirsten's father.

He gathered signatures against the dress code, but the principal said that for safety, freedom of speech can be limited in schools, even as students get involved in the national immigration discussion.

In Longmont, the principal of Skyline High School banned all flags, including the American flag, because of tensions related to immigration reform.

Shaw Heights Middle School is located at 8780 Circle Dr. in Westminster, and it is part of Adams County School District 50.

[beyond the sea]

crazy days .....

[beyond the sea]

"but the principal said that for safety, freedom of speech can be limited in schools"

hmmm

[Dane]

Your local liberal infested public school in action, but that part of the equation never seems to get mentioned or something like a voucher system, where parents and children can be released from the influence of the leftist teacher unions and school administrations.

[Jmouse007]

If I lived there I would demand the principle's head and anyone else's who put this rule in place on a platter, and then I would pull my kids out of the public school system so fast it would make their heads spin. Wicked, godless, UNAMERICAN socialists who care more about appeasing illegal immigrants than American citizens. It is a disgrace!

Someone there had better deal with this quick. We are in the process of losing our country right before our very eyes!

[beyond the sea]

We are in the process of losing our country right before our very eyes!

The country is gone unless the schools, universities, and old media can be cleansed. That looks like it is impossible.

[smug]

Don't limit patriotism, limit leftist immigrants.

[stopem]

When a symbol of patriotism is not allowed in schools than the govt should take away all federal money from the school.

When the school allows the mexicans to take over with their flags and their symbolism, take away federal money.

This is not mexico get over it
AMERICA LOVE IT OR LEAVE IT!!

[freepatriot32]

ping im sure the aclu will be all over this real quick lol

[Kakaze]

I'm surprised we haven't had a diversity day yet. Passing out mexican flag t-shirts and waving desk top flags of mexico all while immersed in spanish language and mariachi bands. All Mandatory. And All payed for by the tax payer.

When it happens I'll be pissed but I wont be surprised.

[kpbruinfan]

I couldn't have said it better myself.

Thanks for your thoughts.

[Beckwith]

During the Viet Nam War, tens of thousands of student protestors wore American flags in a variety of provocative ways, often as a patch on the seat of one's jeans.

Those displays often threatened the peace and safety but you never saw a single liberal attempt ban them then. After all, said the libs, these displays were protected speech under the 1st Amendment.

Now, "the principal said that for safety, freedom of speech can be limited in schools."

A total pile of BS and precisely why we have the 1st Amendment?

There is no standard like a double standard and no one more dishonest than a liberal.

I hope the parents bring suit. There must still be a couple of Americans remaining in Adams County.

[Always Right]

Students at Shaw Heights Middle School are no longer allowed to wear anything that is patriotic, including camouflage pants, because they have become a political symbol for a version of patriotism, CBS4 reports. Liberals love when students express their preverted sexuality on their sleeve, but heaven forbid students might actually express the patriotism for the evil empire of America. It might offend some foreign student from some terrorist state, I mean freedom-fighter state.

[Beckwith]

Can't find a website and contact for Shaw Heights Middle School but here's the contact page for the county, just in case anyone would like to send a note.

Adams County, CO

[Gorzaloon]

She said the dress code alteration diffused the tension immediately.

SKOOLS IS KEWL.

[peyton randolph]

Phone number for school is: 303-428-9533

Address is:

8780 Circle Drive
Westminster, CO 80030-3674
 

[wolfcreek]

This school is drug-free, gun-free and patriotism-free zone. Violators will be prosecuted!

[weegee]

You had a teacher on the Left coast burn a flag in his classroom. You had fire departments pressured to take down their flags off their firetrucks after 9-11.

And now schools deny "patriotic" garb because it is "divisive".

These are US Taxpayer funded institutions. Of course they should favor the established government (note I did not say any administration, but they should be respectful of the offices).

[elli1]

Myla Shepherd, the principal, said that tensions over the immigration issue were apparent when more than 20 students came to school wearing camouflage jackets and pants, apparently to show what they call their patriotism and American pride.

I must live in a cave cause I never thought of camouflage clothing being a display of 'patriotism and American pride.'

Early use of a type of camouflage was an important element of the artistic movement known as Cubism.

Still Life with Gray Bowl (1915)--Diego Rivera

Seated Woman (1909) Pablo Piccaso

Camouflage (a French word, BTW) clothing was invented by--hang onto your hats, folks-- the French during the early days of WWI. Who'd a thunk it?

Ms Shepherd must have been AWOL during her university Art History class.

[eeevil conservative]

This is PURE INSANITY!

[bboop]

If ALL the kids wore patriotic stuff, and they were all suspended, then the school would get no ADA money. I think FIRE should handle this; they are so good at protecting Free Speech on campus. Imagine.

[MACVSOG68]

Won't fly if anyone files suit. Unlike the incident at Skyline High School where the flags were being used to incite violence, there appears to be no nexus to disorder in this case. Students have free speech rights as long as those rights do not cause disorder or infringe on the rights of others. Loser for this principal.

[MinuteGal]

BIBLE - GONE

FLAG - GOING

CONSTITUTION - NEXT

Leni

[jrg]

We are in the process of losing our country right before our very eyes!
The country is gone. We're arresting people for giving wedgies, for gawd's sake! The pussification of this police state called Amerika has already passed the point of no return.

[beyond the sea]

This is PURE INSANITY!

we love insanity, right?

Thusly ............ Sean Vanity........?

;-)

[beyond the sea]

Piccaso's "Seated Woman"......... looks to me like Janet Reno on the side of the road taking a dump outside of her little red truck.

Eh?

[beyond the sea]

I hear you........

[beyond the sea]

My mind leaving .......................

[beyond the sea]

Totally agree.........................................

[Fintan]

A letter went home to parents last week that explained for student safety, no clothes were allowed with political messages or flags of any sort.

 

However, Marxist indoctrination in the classroom will continue unfettered.

[beyond the sea]

YES SIR///////////

[elli1]

I'll buy all of it 'cept the red truck--having trouble seeing it...

[Question_Assumptions]

Again, it should be trivially easy for Congress to pass an "If you accept federal money..." law preventing schools from prohibiting the wearing of American flags or other patriotic clothing unless they are in volation of a strict dress code that applies to everyone specifying plain shirts, pants, and shoes of a specific color. Even then, I'd protect the wearing of small American flag lapel pins. This is America. Displaying an American flag should never be prohibited by any public school.

[Thunder90]

They are taking the zero tolerance for butter knifes to a new extreme.... No wearing of patriotic or military clothing in school, because this could offend people and (in the liberal school administrator's mind) cause the kid wearing the patriotic wear to get a gun and kill people.

[Thunder90]

Bet that Military recruiters don't go to that school anyway.

[SamAdams76]

I'm tense. Very tense. I really wish that they would not allow people to dress the way that they do. It is simply not healthy for my state of well-being.

[Thunder90]

Why on the Banglist thread... Because this seems to be a result of the "Zero Tolerance" law for even owning guns (and butter knifes, and hunting photos). Now it has been extended to patriotic and military clothing.

[ice777fire]

I completely agree with you. My son attends Shaw Heights Middle School and was suspended today for wearing his D.A.R.E. shirt which has an US Flag on it. He was never involved in any tensions and states he never witnessed any either. This is absolutely unbelievable. I am looking into possible lawsuits. Where are our children's rights. I spoke with the Principal on Monday about this ban and she stated that the First Amendment can be left at the front door of our schools. WHAT???!!!!! Any assistance anyone has to offer to battle this insanity??

[ice777fire]

I am a parent at Shaw Heights and am beginning an uphill battle to gather people together for a lawsuit. My son was suspended today for wearing a D.A.R.E. shirt with an American Flag.

[Paul C. Jesup]

Good luck.

I spoke with the Principal on Monday about this ban and she stated that the First Amendment can be left at the front door of our schools. WHAT???!!!!! Any assistance anyone has to offer to battle this insanity??

Was there anyone else there who heard her say this.

[RandallFlagg]

My son was suspended today for wearing a D.A.R.E. shirt with an American Flag.

You should have gone through the school with a videocamera and found the nearest D.A.R.E poster you could and filmed it. Evidence of bias.

Welcome to FR. I live almost right by this school.

[stainlessbanner]

You might find some examples from FIRE, but it's for higher ed. There are numerous Confederate flag cases in schools, a good number of them have prevailed. The SLRC represented a few.

I am not offering legal advice or suggesting legal action; I am simply offering some links to organizations that have faced similar issues in the past.

Please explain to your son that patriots stand strong when others back away. He should never be ashamed to wear the colors. He should proudly represented these United States wherever he goes.

[BlueNgold]

CO .. South Park? Is Mr. Garrison involved?

[Question_Assumptions]

Call your congressmen and legislators, even if you didn't vote for them. Make yourself heard and be polite, even if you don't like them very much. Talk to whatever staffer responds to you. You'd be amazed at what elected officials can make happen. In fact, write or call mayor, governor, freeholders, and even the president -- anyone you can pull a lever for one election day -- to protest this unfair treatment. Try talk radio, too. The squeaky wheel gets the grease. Just be pleasant, sane sounding, and polite and you might find the help you need.

[Question_Assumptions]

By the way, I believe the principal is correct. Students don't really have First Amendment Rights (beside the fact that the scope of the First Amendment is Congress -- read the amendment -- but that's a whole other topic) and that's really a good thing. Do you really want all students wearing having full free speech rights in school? It would be a mess. That said, I think the bigger issue here is that they are making it essentially criminal to wear the flag of the country that these schools are a part of. That's insane. Like I said, my proposal would be to require schools to allow students to wear American flags and other patriotic American clothing unless it conflicts with a detailed dress code, in which case a lapel pin up to a certain reasonable side should be permitted. Students should never be prohibited from showing support for their nation. If others want to read more into that or don't like the United States, we can show them the border and they are free to leave. I'm not anti-immigrant but I have no use for immigrants who are anti-American.

[usmcobra]

Doesn't the school pass out D.A.R.E. T-shirts to begin with?

[Trteamer]

FREEP THE SCHOOL BOARD!!!!!
Have everyone you know show up wearing flags, USMC t-shirts, etc. Surround the building with American flags!!!!!

Call the VFW, the American Legion. The vets will stand with you.

Don't let this opportunity to put them in their place pass by!

[stockstrader]

Wow. I know that I am old, but can anyone else remember WAY BACK to the days when we actually recited the Pledge of Alegiance in grade school?

We sure have come a long way. (rolling eyes)

[beyond the sea]

You're not old ....... you're just wise ...... and lucky, like me.

;-)

[N. Theknow]

Camouflage (a French word, BTW) clothing was invented by--hang onto your hats, folks-- the French during the early days of WWI. Who'd a thunk it?

French camo???

Oh, yeah!