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In backlash against school officials, Minn. high school students protest with American flag display
St. Cloud Times via Fargo Forum ^ | 9/07/17 | Matt Perkins

Posted on 09/07/2017 12:58:20 PM PDT by GOP_Party_Animal

COLD SPRING, Minn. — There was drama on the first two days of school in the Rocori school district.

On Tuesday, students at Rocori High School — about 20 miles southwest of St. Cloud — were greeted by a new policy prohibiting flags and banners from being displayed on vehicles in the school parking lot.

The controversial rule was bucked by students Wednesday, Sept. 7, with numerous American flags defiantly hanging from trucks that lined the lot. By the afternoon, students and school officials had come to an agreement that allows for the respectful display of the American flag.

Julie Mills, mother of a Rocori student who participated in the protest, said she and her 11th-grade son, Ethan, opposed the no-flag policy the moment they learned of it.

"My husband was in the military, my dad was in the military, everybody here we have a strong belief against (the new policy)," Mills said. "I told him you're doing what's right, Ethan, you're standing up for what you believe in. You are an American citizen and it's not showing hate to anybody, so go and I'll be the first one there with my American flag T-shirt on to stand with you."

Superintendent Scott Staska said the catalyst for the policy occurred last spring, when there were multiple incidents of students displaying Confederate flags on vehicles in the parking lot. He said that created a problem for school officials who are charged with creating a safe and respectful environment for students.

"To be honest, this has opened up a really good conversation," Staska said, praising students for showing restraint and limiting their protest to American flag displays only.

Staska said there would be no discipline for the students who participated, and school officials would work closely with the students to come up with a compromise.

"It has generated a conversation with high school administrators and students, not just the ones involved here, but many kids across the high school," Staska said. "What can we do that serves your needs but also protects other students in the district and protects people from flags that do cause concern, anxiety or unnecessary stress and issues?"

Max Gertken, a senior at Rocori, said he participated in the protest hoping the school would rescind its policy or at the very least consider amending it to allow for students to demonstrate American pride.

"The Confederate flag never really bothered me, but if it bothered them that's fine, you can make them take it down," Gertken said. "But this is America and I don't think they should be telling us we can't put up the American flag."


TOPICS: Culture/Society; US: Minnesota
KEYWORDS: oldglory; speechcodes
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To: ProtectOurFreedom
It’s liberal pablum.

DING! DING! DING!

We have a winner!!
21 posted on 09/07/2017 1:59:39 PM PDT by ExTxMarine (Diversity is tolerance; diverse points of views will not be tolerated!)
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To: ProtectOurFreedom

He’s just trying to protect his rice bowl.

But he’s a coward like all liberals. They cave in whenever their bluff is called.


22 posted on 09/07/2017 2:04:17 PM PDT by Seruzawa (TANSTAAFL!)
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To: Flick Lives

“...protects people from flags that do cause concern, anxiety or unnecessary stress and issues?”

If the American flag causes anyone “concern, anxiety or stress and issues?” they have no freakin business living in this country.


23 posted on 09/07/2017 2:08:01 PM PDT by traderrob6
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To: Flick Lives
"What can we do that serves your needs but also protects other students in the district and protects people from flags that do cause concern, anxiety or unnecessary stress and issues?"

Tell those PU$$IE$ to grow-up, grow-a-set, grow tough skin and then learn to IGNORE those things which others do, so that you don't get "triggered" by THINGS OVER WHICH YOU HAVE NO CONTROL! DUH!

How hard is it for Liberals to understand that in a Free Society, there will be those who do things which you don't like! So, instead of teaching these kids that the world will bow down to sooth their every self-created-misery, teach them NOT to sweat over other's flags and ideas! Teaching students this simple FACT about Free Society will STOP the PU$$IE$ from SELF-generating their anxiety!

Contrary to what the Liberals have been teaching in our schools for the last 30 years, words and flags do NOT hurt you, unless you LET them hurt you - PERIOD!
24 posted on 09/07/2017 2:15:16 PM PDT by ExTxMarine (Diversity is tolerance; diverse points of views will not be tolerated!)
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To: GOP_Party_Animal
"... school officials who are charged with creating a safe and respectful environment"

Code for homosexual friendly.

25 posted on 09/07/2017 2:21:33 PM PDT by bruin66 (Time: Nature's way of keeping everything from happening at once.)
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To: ProtectOurFreedom
Normal people don’t talk about “having conversations.”

Normal people don’t talk about “having conversations” about the appropriateness of respectfully displaying the American flag.

-PJ

26 posted on 09/07/2017 2:27:01 PM PDT by Political Junkie Too (The 1st Amendment gives the People the right to a free press, not CNN the right to the 1st question.)
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To: Flick Lives

>> Spoken like a typical bureaucratic crap weasel.

What is urgently needed is for these little dictators to be hauled into court and fined for conspiring to deny law-abiding citizens their First Amendment rights. Perhaps then they will learn to mind their own business, because the flags students choose to fly on their vehicles is not any of their damn business.


27 posted on 09/07/2017 6:56:52 PM PDT by fortes fortuna juvat
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To: traderrob6

>>If the American flag causes anyone “concern, anxiety or stress and issues?” they have no freakin business living in this country.

I say if ANY flag causes anyone “concern, anxiety or stress” they should be advised to make an appointment with their mental health advisor and learn how to mind their own business.


28 posted on 09/07/2017 7:02:16 PM PDT by fortes fortuna juvat
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To: ExTxMarine

>>Contrary to what the Liberals have been teaching in our schools for the last 30 years, words and flags do NOT hurt you, unless you LET them hurt you - PERIOD!

Well and truly said.


29 posted on 09/07/2017 7:04:20 PM PDT by fortes fortuna juvat
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To: Celtic Conservative

This district is 20 miles from St. Cloud-very different.


30 posted on 09/07/2017 10:08:50 PM PDT by NorthstarMom
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