Posted on 09/23/2004 11:49:10 AM PDT by stainlessbanner
Cyndy Stewart said she was shocked when her son showed her a symbol that "sanctions intolerance" in his SAIL High School yearbook.
The page included a Confederate flag and the phrases: "Long Live General Lee. Redneck and Proud!! The South Will Rise!!" Stewart said it's "defeating and condescending" to students of color and sends a bad message to all students regardless of race.
She and another parent asked the School Board on Tuesday to create stricter policies on offensive materials in student publications.
"It's 50 years after Brown v. Board of Education," said Stewart, who teaches school in Georgia. "It doesn't make sense this is still being debated in 2004."
The Confederate flag is a symbol associated with both racism and Southern heritage.
Parent Iliana Volaric said students should be able to express themselves, but within stricter boundaries.
"If it's angst, it's fine, as long as it's not directed toward a particular group in society," she said.
The student who created the page graduated, Principal Roseanne Wood said. SAIL students can submit personal pages to the yearbook that allow them to express themselves.
"Some put kittens on there, some express political points of view," Wood said. "You put anything you want except no sex and anything that promotes violence, drugs or hate."
Tolerance and freedom of speech are encouraged at SAIL, an alternative school, Wood said.
A committee that includes teachers, media specialists and the principal reviews the students' messages. The student's page that caused parent concern also includes a message to three teachers whom he thanked for making his graduation possible. One of those teachers was black, Wood said.
"In the judgment of the committee at the time, he wasn't espousing hate," she said. "He was espousing being proud of being a Southerner."
The school district's policy on written expression prohibits "material which is obscene according to current legal definitions, libelous, or disruptive to the orderly educational process." When questions arise about whether material is appropriate, the principal has the final say.
Superintendent Bill Montford said the School Board has a reputation of being sensitive in these matters. Rickards High's Raiders were formerly the Redskins, he said.
"I'm not sure this board or any board can pass a policy that would guarantee removal of offensive materials," Montford said. "Quite frankly, it's a gray area and a judgment call."
Until two parents expressed concern about the yearbook, the Confederate flag hadn't been an issue for the school, Wood said. Stewart and Volaric say their sons and other students are concerned but don't want to step forward for fear of being ostracized.
"If something is disruptive to the school process, we could ban it," Wood said.
The school will take a harder look at such messages next year, she said.
"I do understand the parents' point of view, and I will take it in consideration in the next go-round," Wood said. "We don't want to alienate anyone."
I sense a theme in your posts.
Oh why don't they get stuffed. I'm glad it's on our state flag(MS),they can't say much about it that way:)
This same student whom they're raising a ruckus about also PRAISED a black teacher. Yet he's racist????
And your point is??????
"I do understand the parents' point of view, and I will take it in consideration in the next go-round," Wood said. "We don't want to alienate anyone."
But you don't mind alienating the author of any page you might find offensive.
Gawd, will these people ever stfu?
Oh, that's good. Instead of a team named for proud American Indian warriors, we now have a team named for a band of murdurous thieves...
Let's ban history altogether. That way, nobody will ever be offended in our multi-cultural world. Besides, if nobody knew history, every conflict would be like a first. Think of all the lessons our kids could learn. (sarcasm off)
Since when do symbols "sanction" anything? Don't people have to do that? Wait a minute, what am I thinking? This like all those dangerous guns that "fire" without anyone around, right?
It took you 3 years to figure that out?
Appears this momma is just trying to have her 15-minutes worth of fame. No sympathy here.
But, long live White haters Malcom-X and Calypso Louie, and hey man, ole race baiting Al, ya gotta love that Jesse J. spitting in the Honkie's food, laughing and bragging about it, soooo cooool.
More contrived anger from a "concerned parent" who in my view is more concerned about getting her name in the paper than the issue at hand. Meanwhile, another swipe is taken at freedom of speech and expression.
I'll never swat an annoying house fly, for my eye's are not sharp enough to decipher what the color or Creed of the fly is.
It's best to be safe than sorry, for I wouldn't want to go to my grave with the idea that I my be a "color biased" bigot, so for my own peace of mind I will tolerate the fly in my house even with the annoyance which that fly creates, until I can some day determine the color of the fly's and only swat the "lighter colored" one's for I have come to realize that "a fly isn't a fly" I must determine the color of the fly before I take action in swatting it!
Makes sense to me....
And don't forget all those SUVs that are killing people left and right.
And just what is the problem here? 
Uh, yeah. It's called the "Dixie Ping List".
"Dixie" is not here a reference to the New Orleans beer.
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