Posted on 02/03/2006 4:55:22 PM PST by paltz
Two Hickman High School students disrupted a multicultural assembly yesterday in the schools auditorium by unfurling a Confederate flag from the balcony.
Ryan Lanman, 17, who is white, and a friend enacted their plan while another student was singing "The Yellow Rose of Texas" to commemorate the Spanish-American War and honor Texas.
After the disruption, the students involved were told to leave, and the assembly continued, Principal Mike Jeffers said, adding that he couldnt talk about whether the students would be disciplined.
Lanman, reached by phone after the assembly yesterday afternoon, said he and fellow student Kevin Meyers meant to "show Southern pride" and didnt intend the flag to be racist.
"Me and Kevin, we dont believe in slavery or anything else that goes along with the symbol," Lanman said.
The assembly included celebrations of Irish, Spanish, Bosnian, Indian, Middle Eastern, black, American, Japanese and Chinese cultures, among others, Jeffers said.
Lanman said he and his friend waited until "The Yellow Rose of Texas" to unfurl the flag out of respect for the other cultures being celebrated at the assembly.
Jeffers said he questions Lanmans argument that his actions were about cultural support for the South.
"Ryans interpretation of things well, theres information I cant share with you," Jeffers said. "Ryan is not telling you the whole story."
Collin Kemble, 16, who is white, said he is sure the unfurling of the flag was intended as a racist action. He and a group of football players sitting outside Hickman yesterday discussed what Lanman and his friend did.
None of the students said he believes there will be any retaliation against Lanman or anyone else.
"No, there aint going to be no riot," Vaughan said.
One thing that bothered those in the group was something they saw as a double standard. "Students wear Confederate stuff all the time," said Michael Tufts, 16, a sophomore. The school "doesnt do anything about it."
"If I came to school in a I hate crackers T-shirt, Id be sent home," said Xavier Bagby, 16, who is black.
Jeffers said Confederate flag clothes are not prohibited unless they cause disruptions, adding that Lanmans use of the flag did cause a disruption.
"Its one thing to wear something and another to stand up in a multicultural assembly with a Confederate flag," Jeffers said. "You dont have the right to run into a movie theater and yell, Fire, and you dont have the right to do something disruptive in school."
Jeffers said school officials planned to meet with students parents today or Monday.
"I think if you see kids this age who are racist, you have to look at their parents," said Evan Conrad, 14, a white student at West Junior High School. "Theyre not going to just develop racism. They learn it from somewhere."
Tom Lanman, Ryan Lanmans father, said he disagrees with his sons behavior and actions.
"However, a lot of students have grumbled about how the multicultural assemblies dont represent" the Southern point of view, said Tom Lanman, adding that nobody in his family is a racist. "Ryan is a student that steps up to the plate and makes a statement. Hes a leader in that sense."
I'll second that.
""If I came to school in a I hate crackers T-shirt, Id be sent home," said Xavier Bagby, 16, who is black."
He could just were a Malcom X shirt which would imply the same thing. I feel that is more comparable to the flag than a shirt that says "I hate crackers."
It is south of the Mason Dixon Line.
Only in a relative sense. It certainly ain't no Berkley.
That's probably the flag they displayed. It's the one that's been used by every racist group since the Civil War. If they had displayed the flag of the Confederate States instead of the battle flag, I'll guess no one would have said a thing.
"I don't think that we here in Missouri consider ourselves southern."
We don't? Perhaps a short course in MO history?
Anybody there today who thinks they're Souvr'n is a newcomer.
ok...
This area is called the "Mid Atlantic", and you don't find Souvr'n culture until you get Souf' of George Washington's Boyhood home (Fredericksburg, VA).
OK...
Dixie Ping
Missouri is absolutely Southern. Quantrill and his boys were fending off the redlegs and jayhawkers. I consider both MD and MO southern states.
On another note, maybe more students will research their heritage and American history as a result of the boys sharing their flag. The more they keep trying to ban it, the more people will fly the flag and learn about the past.
Crackers are known for their great Southern sense of humor - however they have little use for ignorance, Bagby.
A shirt with CBF or a CBF flag does not put anyone's life in danger. Nice try though.
Oh, yeah! Well, do you say Missour-ah or Missour-ee?
Show me. :^)=
Is that the Connecticut version of a real warrior's flag? Don't hurt me I'm from Connecticut?
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