High School Bans U.S. Flag

[American Patriot]

High School Bans U.S. Flag
News Max ^ | April 2, 2006 | Not Cited

LONGMONT, Colo. -- Dozens of high school students protested a temporary school policy forbidding students from displaying the U.S. flag - as well as flags from other countries - amid racial tensions following immigration rallies.

Skyline High School Principal Tom Stumpf said American flags were brazenly waved in the faces of Hispanic students and in one case a Mexican flag was thrown into the face of another student.

"When it involves the American flag and its abuse in vilifying other people, we simply will not tolerate it," Stumpf said. "They were using the symbol derisively as misguided patriotism."

Students were warned about the policy Friday and several were suspended, although Stumpf would not provide details. Then, about 100 students protested during lunch time.

Student Dustin Carlson told Denver station KCNC-TV that he was suspended for two days.

"I'm getting suspended for it and personally I think that's uncalled for," he said. "If this country means freedom, then why can't we fly our own flag? It's ridiculous."

Thousands of high school students Friday in California, Texas, Nevada and other states protested the tough immigration laws proposed in the House. Some waved Mexican flags and carried signs saying "We are not criminals."

On Monday, about 150 high school students, including some from Skyline, protested in Longmont.

"People are taking it to a whole other level," said Laura Avitia. "I don't think they know why we were protesting."

[vector7]

Court rules school can ban American flag shirts to avoid racial strife


A federal court ruled Thursday that a northern California high school did not violate the constitutional rights of its students when school officials made them turn their American flag T-shirts inside out on Cinco de Mayo or be sent home due to fears of racial violence.

The three-judge panel unanimously decided the officials’ need to protect the safety of their students outweighed the students’ freedom of expression rights.

Administrators at Live Oak High School, in the San Jose suburb of Morgan Hill, feared the American-flag shirts would enflame Latino students celebrating the Mexican holiday, and ordered the students to either turn the shirts inside out or go home for the day.

The school had a history of problems between white and Latino students on that day, and also had a documented history of violence between gang members and between racial groups. The court said these past problems gave school officials sufficient and justifiable reasons for their actions and that schools have wide latitude in curbing certain civil rights to ensure campus safety.

"Our role is not to second-guess the decision to have a Cinco de Mayo celebration or the precautions put in place to avoid violence," Judge M. Margaret McKeown wrote for the panel. The past events "made it reasonable for school officials to proceed as though the threat of a potentially violent disturbance was real," she wrote.

The San Jose Mercury News reports the parents of the students represented in the lawsuit claim their children’s First Amendment rights were violated. The Ann Arbor, Mich.-based American Freedom Law Center, a politically conservative legal aid foundation, and other similar organizations took up the students' case and sued the high school and the school district.

"This is the United States of America," the mother of one of the students Kendall Jones told the San Jose Mercury News.

"The idea that it's offensive to wear patriotic clothing ... regardless of what day it is, is unconscionable to me."

The parents have said in previous interviews with several publications that their children were only trying to be patriotic, not start a fight with Latino students.

William Becker, one of the lawyers representing the students, said he plans to ask a special 11-judge panel of the appeals court to rehear the case. Becker said he and the parents of the children are prepared to take the fight all the way to the Supreme Court.

[American Patriot]

That's disturbing.

No, it's downright fucking traitorous. Let's be clear. The Judge who ruled that should be taken out and tarred and feathered. It wouldn't be a damned violation of HIS civil rights, since he's a servant of the people of this country and he has broken the trust of this nation.

[vector7]

9th Circuit: US Flag "Offensive" to Mexicans in the USA

9th Circuit: US Flag "Offensive" to Mexicans in the USA

“The 9th Circuit upheld the rights of Mexican students celebrating a holiday of another country over U.S. student proudly supporting this country,” said attorney William Becker .

Officials at a Northern California high school acted appropriately when they ordered students wearing American flag T-shirts to turn the garments inside out during the Mexican heritage celebration Cinco de Mayo, a federal appeals court ruled Thursday.

Administrators feared the American-flag shirts would enflame the passions of Latino students celebrating the Mexican holiday. (AP)

Please try to imagine if the races were reversed. people were "concerned" about racial violence from a bunch of white students against Mexicans.

For that matter, why do they assume that Mexican students would get angry? Seems a bit racist to me.

No has to worry about the Irish attacking or even being offended by students wearing or displaying an American flag on St. Patrick's Day.

A disturbingly under reported aspect to this story is all the hateful bullying the white students had to endure from Hispanic students.

What if a group of Evangelicals protested the California "Harvey Milk Day" mandate? Would homosexuals be compelled to be silent?

[Ryan Ruck]

Federal Court Upholds U.S. Flag Ban On Cinco de Mayo; Lawyer Vows To Take Case To U.S. Supreme Court

September 18, 2014

A federal appeals court will not reconsider a unanimous February ruling upholding the actions of a principal in a Northern California high school who ordered students wearing American flag shirts inside out during a 2010 Cinco de Mayo celebration.

Live Oak High School in the San Jose suburb of Morgan Hill had a prior history of problems between white and Latino students.

Parents and a few lawmakers had argued that the actions violated the students’ Constitutional right to free speech.

In the original ruling, a three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals decided that past problems at the school gave officials sufficient and justifiable reasons for the order. In its opinion, the court said that schools in general have wide latitude in curbing certain civil rights to ensure campus safety.

On Wednesday, the Circuit Court of Appeals announced that a majority of its 29 judges had voted against rehearing the case.

In 2009, a group of Mexican-American students waved a Mexican flag around the Live Oak campus.

Some non-Hispanic students then raised the American flag on a tree, and the two groups exchanged profanity-laced threats.

The next year, after the principal issued the order for students wearing Stars and Stripes shirts to turn them inside-out or go home with an excused absence, the incident garnered national attention as many expressed outrage that students were barred from wearing patriotic clothing.

Three children and their parents sued the school district with the assistance of the American Freedom Law Center and other conservative legal organizations.

William Becker, a lawyer representing the students called Wednesday’s decision “outrageous” and said he’d likely take the case to the U.S. Supreme Court.

“(We) will not allow the politically correct judiciary to insult our flag,” he wrote in his blog.

In February, a three-judge panel ruled that it was not the court’s place to second-guess the school’s anti-violence efforts.

"The past events "made it reasonable for school officials to proceed as though the threat of a potentially violent disturbance was real," Judge M. Margaret McKeown wrote for the panel.

But, in his blog, Becker said wearing an American flag to school is a symbol of patriotism, not aggression.

“The American flag is not a symbol of racism or division,” Becker said. “It is the symbol of freedom and unity. Americans have fought and died to protect that flag, and now we are told to conceal it so we don’t offend Mexican aliens, some of whom entered this country illegally.”

Cinco de Mayo marks the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862, when Mexican troops defeated a French army of Napoleon III. In many ways, it is more of a holiday in the U.S. than in Mexico, a celebration of Latino heritage with parades and revelry in many major cities.

[vector7]

SC school bans American flag from football games

August 29, 2016
By Victor Skinner

TRAVELERS REST, S.C. – School officials’ decision to ban students from displaying the American Flag at a recent football game is creating controversy in a South Carolina school district.

On Friday, Travelers Rest High School principal Lou Lavely banned students from carrying American flags into a football game against Berega High School, because a lot of students at Berega are Hispanic. Lavely contends the American flag could have been used to taunt those students, WNCN reports.

“Some events at last evening’s football game have resulted in concerns being raised in our community. I am writing to assure that any decisions made regarding American flags being permitted into the game were made in the best interests of all attending the game and in the spirit of patriotism and respect for our flag,” Lavely wrote in response to Facebook backlash about the ban, which turned away several students who came to the game with American flags.

“Any decision to not allow the American flag to be used in an improper ‘taunting,’ unsportsmanlike manner is first and foremost in the interests of promoting the safety and well-being of all in attendance at school events. This decision would be made anytime that the American flag, or any other symbol, sign, cheer, or action on the part of our fans would potentially compromise the safety of all in attendance at a school event.”

Lavely’s prepared statement assured community members that officials “have the utmost respect for our flag and strive to display the highest levels of patriotism,” and the school supports veterans, but the potential for taunting was too much to allow the American flag inside of the stadium.

The principal’s comments came in response to a picture of one attendee with a large American flag speaking with a local police officer at the gate, and a message about school officials censoring the stars and bars.



Hunter Ballew wrote:

Lou Lavely, Travelers Rest High School Principal, continues to power trip and strip young Americans of the right to proudly boast this Nation’s flag.

Last night I picked my brother up from the TRHS Football game and he told me that Lavely had denied entry to a couple of young men with American flags. I can’t deny the rage I felt as this is the third incident I’ve had involving Lavely and the flag I love.

First, the day after Osama was killed in 2011 we were told we couldn’t have the American flag on our trucks on school property and the TRPD came and handled the situation. Lavely later apologized to our group.

Second, I was picking up my youngest brother and saw two high school boys handling our flag with disrespect at the flag pole as they let it drag the ground and he acted like it was not an issue.

Third, last night as I took the flag and attempted to enter myself he stated, “I have the authority to tell anyone they can’t bring it on the property.” Unfortunately the cops were not helpful and sided with Lavely even after stating “you’d probably win if you took it to the school district.” I’m no expert and don’t know the laws in and out. But.. if he has the power to strip Americans the right to boast the American flag after being pumped up about our Olympic run there is a much bigger problem. A problem that needs to be resolved.

I’m sick of this political correctness. We need to do something about it because it’s not getting any better.


Berea High School principal Mike Noel backed Lavely.

“I am in full support of Mr. Lavely’s actions at the football game on Friday night. He was protecting the greatest symbol of our nation, the American Flag,” he wrote, according to Greenville Online. “His decision was based on the premise that the American flag should not be used in a disrespectful or unsportsmanlike like manner. He made the right decision.”

The resulting controversy prompted Travelers Rest Police to clarify its position on the flag ban, as well.

“It seems to be the opinion of a vocal few that the TRPD, by being forced to intervene in this incident, somehow endorses the barring of the American flag from the game. That could not be further from the truth,” Chief Lance Crowe wrote in a prepared statement.

“The irony is that our officer pictured in the photograph making its rounds through social media is himself an Army veteran, and he disagrees with the position in which he found himself, but that cannot prevent him from doing his duty as a sworn guardian of the peace,” Crowe wrote. “Simply put, if the school administration has a policy that if not followed would result in a person being removed from the school property, the police have to intervene at that moment if the person refuses, especially if the person becomes overly argumentative during his protest.”

http://eagnews.org/sc-school-bans-am...ootball-games/