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I know this area, having grown up one town away, and I’m willing to bet these kids were trying to start trouble. This makes me less sympathetic, but I’m still not sure if the school really had the right to do this. It’s a tricky issue.

Even if the school had the right to deny these boys a graduation walk, I don't think it was a prudent or fair thing to do.

As I understand the story, the boys simply had the flag on their truck(s?). While that would not (and did not) escape notice, I don't think it's nearly as disruptive as waving the flag around inside the classroom, or wearing a t-shirt with the flag and some inflammatory slogan.

The flag is controversial. But it is also cherished by a lot of people in this country for reasons that are not always sinister. Even if we are going to ban certain symbols from school parking lots, I don't think the Confederate battle flag needs to be one of them.

IMO an appropriate response by the principal could have been to take down the flag, summon the boys to the office, and explain why it was removed and how other students felt about it. Maybe even some kind of suspension or detention would have been appropriate.

But I don't think their misdeeds, however stupid, were enough to warrant denying them participation in the graduation ceremony.

Even if the school had the right to deny these boys a graduation walk, I don't think it was a prudent or fair thing to do.

Yeah, the punishment may not have been fair, though I know I would've gotten suspended for that in high school, and that was almost 20 years ago in a lily-white suburb. Unlike Bloomington, Edina is still pretty much all white.

As I understand the story, the boys simply had the flag on their truck(s?). While that would not (and did not) escape notice, I don't think it's nearly as disruptive as waving the flag around inside the classroom, or wearing a t-shirt with the flag and some inflammatory slogan.

I agree.

The flag is controversial. But it is also cherished by a lot of people in this country for reasons that are not always sinister. Even if we are going to ban certain symbols from school parking lots, I don't think the Confederate battle flag needs to be one of them.

There's been a lot of debate, on this thread and others, as to the merit of displaying the Confederate flag. However, I still maintain these kids do not have any good, thought-out reason. Also, I'm really not sure if they do have the right to ban it. It's a big grey area.