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.
What is our country coming too?
(Denny Crane: "I Don't Want To Socialize With A Pinko Liberal Democrat Commie. Say What You Like About Republicans. We Stick To Our Convictions. Even When We Know We're Dead Wrong.")
Also check this thread out http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1607458/posts
this kid who organized a rally said his CA school tried to interfere with his right to organize a patriotic USA meeting on school property while giving time to the school's racist MECHA club, they confiscated his flags then suspended him and threatened to have him arrested for trying to organize on his own time, off campus .
While in the meantime, kids in CA by the thousands were allowed hold pro Mexico National rallies on campus, with Mexican flags and were allowed to walk off campus, greeted by mayors and were provided bus transportation by the schools, all on taxpayers money!!!!
Folks it is a sorry day when our kids can can be penalized and threatened with arrest for being patriotic and loyal to the laws and sovereignty of the USA.
If ALL flags are banned, where is the problem again? Sounds like appropriate safety control to me.
and this one ; http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1607726/posts
stumpf_thomas@ stvrain.k12.co.us
The page IS THERE! I just went to it!
O.K., now do high school students have the right to protest or not?
They could have stopped this whole ordeal by TELLING the Hispanics that Mexican or any other Hispanic flags will not be permitted on school grounds, but NO!!!! They only banned the AMERICAN FLAG!! Bunch of Commie liberals!!!!!!!
Flag decals .50 cents a piece, for the price of a pop a liberal can be annoyed.
(Denny Crane: "I Don't Want To Socialize With A Pinko Liberal Democrat Commie. Say What You Like About Republicans. We Stick To Our Convictions. Even When We Know We're Dead Wrong.")
Read the story please - ALL flags, not just American, were banned for school safety.
Our schools are infested with misguided leftists. (redundant, I know).
Damn true!
Ban liberals for school safety.
A lecture by a locked and loaded Marine would be even better ; )
She is about to see another spring.
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