Students sent home for wearing American Flags on Cinqo De Mayo(r)

[Cats Cats Cats]

http://news.yahoo.com/video/local-15749667/19585803

*Guide get your 9/11 prop pictures ready*

The students were sent home for refusing to turn inside out their clothing with American flags on it.

One student was wearing a bandanna which I could see as against the rules due to gangs.
The others were "feared" for.  Now being that we live in America and it was Cinqo De Mayo which is only actually recognized more in the United States than Mexico.  Maybe they put faculty on these kids and kick anybody that messes with them out.

[Conan71]

Yeah, I think the school system is invoking the "no one can be offended" clause of the Constitution. 

[Townsend]

Isn't wearing the flag a no-no?

I should add unless it's insignia.

[Hoss]

Isn't wearing the flag a no-no?

I should add unless it's insignia.

USC 4.1.8.d states:

"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."

So you would be correct.  Question is, do they deem the shirts as actual flags?

But either way, I think it's in poor taste.

[Cats Cats Cats]

They just singled out the minority in the situation.  The ones wearing the flags.  They might have actually been in danger of injury though.  There has to be some sort of leeway to keep people safe.  But they probably shouldn't make kids change for wearing an American Flag on cinqo de mayo.  Shoulda watched out for them all day and kick the other kids out.

[Rico]

Hoss>"But either way, I think it's in poor taste."


Agreed 100%

The same could be said in regards to President Bush.... and his talking about creative interrogation techniques.

I don't believe it is commonplace for creative interrogation techniques to be used.... But I know they are not something that should be gone into in detail, on network news, during breakfast.

Sorry if that is off topic.  I do think, what you have written, is an example of how America could better itself by raising the bar of etiquette.

[dbacks fan]

Students dressed in Mexican Flags allowed to stay in class. Check the photo of the freshman girl dressed in the Mexican Flag. She was allowed to stay in school.

http://www.morganhilltimes.com/news/265402-update-teens-forced-to-remove-american-t-shirts-ignites-national-media-attention





Four teens sent home for wearing red, white and blue on Cinco de Mayo are the focus of national media attention today as their story went viral after Live Oak High School officials asked the students to turn their American flag T-shirts inside-out to quell any confrontations.

At least four Bay Area TV news stations set up camp in front of Live Oak High School this morning following a firestorm of outrage from both sides. Mexican-American students felt the students were being disrespectful on the only day they celebrate their heritage. While students sporting red, white and blue said it violated their First Amendment rights. It was originally thought that five students were sent home, but one did return to class Wednesday.

At 10:30 a.m. today, a group of Mexican students walked out of Live Oak in protest. In addition, some students were seen wearing red, white and blue in support of the four students. Some teens spread the word on Facebook since Wednesday's incident encouraging Live Oak students to show their patriotism by wearing their colors.

Live Oak officials were silent on the issue and asked that TV crews stay near the street in front of the school. So far, no further comment has been made since Assistant Principal Miguel Rodriguez and Principal Nick Boden told the students they must turn their T-shirts inside-out or face suspension. The parents of the students met them campus and took the four students as an unexcused absence.

Uncle Sam even embarked onto Live Oak this morning in the form of John Massina, a San Jose resident, who said he was so enraged that he drove to Morgan Hill to protest.

"I'm terribly upset that these patriotic students were sent home," Massina said. "I wanted to make a statement. This is absolutely wrong."

The four students met with Assistant Superintendent Jay Totter Wednesday evening at the district headquarters and they said Totter said what happened to them was wrong and "they would take care of it."

It's unclear at this time what was meant by that comment.

Officials at the school chose not to comment on the situation Wednesday, but one student said an official called the T-shirts "incendiary."

"They said we were starting a fight, we were fuel to the fire," said sophomore Matt Dariano.

The Morgan Hill Unified School District issued this statement: "In an attempt to foster a spirit of cultural awareness and maintain a safe and supportive school environment, the Live Oak High School administration took certain actions earlier today.

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

Five teens were sitting at a table outside during their brunch break about 10:10 a.m. when Assistant Principal Miguel Rodriguez asked two boys to take off their American flag bandannas. The boys said they complied. In the same conversation, sophomore Dominic Maciel said, Rodriguez told the group to "walk with him to the office."

Dariano called his mother Diana, who spread the word to the other parents, who all arrived soon after to have a conference with Rodriguez and Principal Nick Boden. The group said they were not instigating anything and did what they always do at break - sit and talk and eat.

A parent of two Live Oak students, Teresa Casillas, said the American-flag wearing students were yelling "We live in America!" at the brunch break. She said her children were upset by their behavior at school, calling it disrespectful.

"We're all offended by it," Casillas said. She said parents of all ethnicities she spoke with felt that way. "Morgan Hill is too small of a community to start any racial wars. This is just bringing it out a little bit more."

The boys were told they must turn their T-shirts inside-out or be sent home - and that it would not be considered a suspension - but that Rodriguez did not want any fights to break out among Mexican-American students and those wearing American flags. Dariano said other students were wearing American flags but since they were a group of five "we were the easiest target to cause trouble" according to Rodriguez, he said.

[nathanm]

Ah, the rest of the story comes out. It wasn't about the "flags" themselves, but the attitude the flag-wearing brats were toting.

[custosnox]

Ah, the rest of the story comes out. It wasn't about the "flags" themselves, but the attitude the flag-wearing brats were toting.

Then why were they told to turn the shirts inside out?  If they were sent home over behavior then that would have been one thing, but an action was taken against the shirts.

[nathanm]

Then why were they told to turn the shirts inside out?  If they were sent home over behavior then that would have been one thing, but an action was taken against the shirts.

Good question. Perhaps he thought branding them with their stupidity would cause them to stop acting like fools. Who knows?

[Cats Cats Cats]

But why not.  "Stop yelling at students".  So...  Keep yelling but flip your shirt around?  The kids were adding some points on the jackassometer for wearing tapout shirts.

[jamesrage]

Americans sent home for wearing an American flag shirt in an American school, only if Commiefornia would something like that happen. Who the hell are these students to be offended over someone wearing a t-shirt with a picture of an American flag on it? Perhaps their parents need to take those kids back to their crap hole third world country that the parents are from to show those damn kids a little respect for this country. If anyone should be offended it should be the parents who had to pay for the principal's salary and any other dude bag who thinks kids should not be allowed wear patriotic clothing in American schools.

[jamesrage]

USC 4.1.8.d states:

"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."

So you would be correct.  Question is, do they deem the shirts as actual flags?

But either way, I think it's in poor taste.

I believe that only applies to an actual flag not a image of a flag,especially seeing how deployed troops wear American flag patches on their uniforms. And if you notice on their uniform the American flags look backwards, it is symbolic of the men who used to carry flags into battle and the flag would blow behind them.

[guido911]

But why not.  "Stop yelling at students".  So...  Keep yelling but flip your shirt around?  The kids were adding some points on the jackassometer for wearing tapout shirts.

What's wrong with TapOut gear? I own some.

[Cats Cats Cats]

What's wrong with TapOut gear? I own some.

Its a poor mans Affliction.  Which means that its about the same as affliction shirts.