Posted on 04/01/2006 9:28:34 PM PST by Former Military Chick
(CBS4) LONGMONT, Colo. Several students were under suspension for flying flags at Skyline High School in a debate over immigration that has sparked debates over free speech and patriotism.
On Friday, some of the students skipped classes and took to the sidewalks outside the school.
"If this country means freedom why can't we fly our own flag? It's ridiculous," said Dustin Carlson, a suspended student.
The walkouts started on Monday when Mexican-American students began protesting the immigration bill now being debated in Washington, which calls for criminalizing illegal immigration.
Several carried Mexican flags which started counter protests from students who bore American flags. That's when the school stepped in.
Principal Tom Stumpf said students were becoming involved in what the school saw as bigotry.
Mexican-American student Lupita Silva claimed there were racial slurs and epithets.
"Just because you're Latino, they hate you," Silva said.
Stumpf said he feared the conduct with flags on schools grounds could "pretty quickly erupt into violence." He said it's his responsibility to ensure the school and students were safe and called reaction to the suspensions "misguided patriotism."
Several students were suspended but only after they were told no overt action deemed to be racial would be tolerated.
"It wasn't because of the flag necessarily. It was because of the fact that they had been warned before," Stumpf said.
If the Mexican flag isn't flying at our public schools the American flag should be pulled down?
Pretty twisted "reasoning".
O thus be it ever when free-men shall stand
Between their lov'd home and the war's desolation;
Blest with vict'ry and peace, may the heav'n-rescued land
Praise the Pow'r that hath made and preserv'd us a nation!
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto: “In God is our trust!”
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!
THAT doesn't sound forlorn to me, but POWERFUL
I don't think they "bought into" anything except school safety.
There's actually more to that song, did you know that?
And why is that? Are all flags equal? If they banned the Nazi flag, Chicom flag, or Mexican flag should the banning of Old Glory necessarily follow? Your multiculturalist/multinationalist nonsense would be better suited to another forum.
Hey, parents turn their children over to indoctrination centers(public schools) and then are surprised when they are castigated for trying to show their Americanism. Go figure.
And American students have the right to respond peacefully.
Flags carried by STUDENTS were banned, per the article (see above). The only one "twisted" here is you.
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Not with American flags if ALL flags are banned.
It doesn't bother me.
American flags banned to appease criminals.
No. You're suppose to say: "Perdoneme?"
School saftey (I think I already said that above). As for "equal", no - the U.S. flag (and State flag if required under the law) should still be flown at the SCHOOL's flagpole. What part of this are you not understanding?
I am posting the current state of the law - I will answer any question posted - how many do I have to answer before I am not a "hit and run" troll?
Did you know that neither the students nor the administrators at Montebello High flew those flags?
You're entitled to "think" what you want.
You asked where the racist term entered the equation - the school sided with the Mexicans and brought it in.
I will take them at their word.
The school is no more safe without the flags than with them. By not choosing a side, the school actually left it open to the students to fight it out. The school should have chosen a side and ended the debate.
In the interest of accuracy I will state: All flags were banned, not just American flags.
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