Posted on 01/15/2009 11:05:27 AM PST by matt1234
MARYSVILLE, Wash. - At least three students were suspended from Marysville-Pilchuck High School after displaying the Confederate flag.
Ray Hauser, spokesperson for the school district, said one incident occurred in October, and another just last week.
The students say the flag is a symbol of culture and heritage, but the school district says it's also a symbol of hatred.
Hauser said the students are aware of school policy, and when the administration learned of the displays, the students were called in for a discussion and suspensions occurred immediately.
Eighteen-year-old Ethian Allen is a senior at the school. Over the past few months, he and his friends have been flying the Confederate flag on their cars. To them it's not a symbol of racism -- but of heritage and the "redneck culture," which they embrace.
"I think as a right of free speech we should have whatever flag we want," he said. "Nobody has come up to us and said it offends them in any way, besides the administration."
After they brought it on school grounds, a few of them got 10-day suspensions.
"There are two different sides to the Confederate flag, one of heritage the other a connection to a symbol of hatred," said Hauser.
The district says its policy on the flag stems from a series of incidents back in 2004. A cross burning at the home of a local African American pastor sparked a series of confrontations at the high school involving the Confederate flag. So the so-called Southern Cross was banned. It's even written in the school handbook.
"While we want to recognize a student's right to free speech, we certainly have the first duty to make sure all our students are safe," Hauser said.
The students say no one has complained to them and they feel the school policy is not enforced fairly.
It may be a right of free speech, but the district cites case law which allows them to ban symbols from school grounds if they interfere with safety and the learning process. They say the Confederate flag is a prime example.
The KKK was very active in the State of Washington in the first half of the 20th Century.
Anybody offended by the Stars and Stripes needs to keep it to themselves or else find another country where they are more comfortable.
These kids are doing this to get a rise out of people, and probably to piss off some of their black schoolmates. If you scratch under the surface, you'll probably find these kids have neo-Nazi or White Supremacist connections. Their claim that this was some sort of cultural thing is nonsense- this wasn't a meeting of Civil War re-enactors from Charleston.
That's what makes me suspect that this isn't part of a principled stand to ban all possibly divisive symbols but rather just a stereotypical cave in to the current PC.
I've heard people call the peace sign an upside down cross, but it's not IMO.
Myself, I figure if you look at the 3 downward prongs, they originaly stand for Sex, Drugs, & Rock'nRoll, but quickly evolve into Communism, Anarchy and Atheism.
The upper prong has proved to be the single finger salute, which of course is used to display anger and/or hatred.
There's really nothing sincerely peaceful about the peace sign.
You might find numerous gangs of militant hispanics and/or blacks who proudly fly (wear) THEIR colors, and these kids, not understanding that it is not permitted for white kids to organize themselves publicly, made a mistake.
If the white kids want to organize themselves for mutual defense, it would behoove them to do it under the table.
I agree but would hasten to say that there are more than a few around these parts that prefer the UN flag over any US flag...
That’s always productive, respond to hate with hate, so we can make...more hate. Jesus would be proud.
They’re kids. Probably don’t even know history all that well. They respond to what they see. Give them an alternative.
The old Georgia State Flag was a point of contention with me. The CBF is right side up when the two points of the stars are straddled the bottom left and right corners of the flag. When the point of the star is pointed directly at the corner, it is upside down.
A good friend just gave me one for Christmas. I haven’t flown it yet but I will......just for my neighbor....a democrat.
I guess it’s time to burn the Washington state flag
>> but the school district says [the Confederate flag is] also a symbol of hatred.
Somewhere along the way, I think history, as most understand it, fails to tell the whole story. I wouldn’t be surprised if the views of slavery were well distributed throughout the land, where no region, North or South, truly owned one perspective or the other.
Sometimes it seems like the edicts, like those issued by the school, are really about retribution masquerading as sensitivity and understanding.
Slavery is evil, bad, wrong, immoral - nearly everyone understands this and agrees. But, the position the school is taking reinforces a negative perspective that many argue is incorrect. I’d like to know more about the history of the flag, and how it’s become such a controversial symbol of slavery.
How many injuries are caused by flag displays every year?
From the looks of things I'm guessing quite a few....and they are all carpal tunnel syndrome injuries incurred by hysterical Leftists with no understanding of history who madly write bushel-basketfuls of hateful letters to newspapers and politicians whenever they see a Confederate Battle Flag or any positive reference whatsoever to Southern culture or Southern traditions. They hurt their sissified little hands from banging away at the keyboard so much.
In addition to the comments in this thread, there are also some great comments in this thread from 2007 which you may find interesting and informative.
Texas students sue to carry purses decorated with Confederate flag
I find this quote interesting.
“While we want to recognize a student’s right to free speech, we certainly have the first duty to make sure all our students are safe,” Hauser said.”
So safety trumps free speech? Oh I know you can’t yell “fire” in theater and all that but this isn’t a theater. Seems I remember a quote about safety and giving up freedoms...hmmmm....now what could that quote be?
No I think it was more of an Urban Lugee!!
Marysville is not suburban Seatle. Seattle is in King County, a county which boasts Seattle and Redmond (AKA Microsoft-Ville/ Gatesland).
Marysville is in Snohomish county, mainly farming and logging communities.
I guess they are not as smart as my kids then. But then my 2 kids are honor students, good athletes a passable musicians. Its time for their parents to get them in line.
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