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School reverses (Confederate) flag ban
News and Observer ^
| January 30, 2003
| ELLEN SUNG
Posted on 01/30/2003 4:03:19 AM PST by mykdsmom
CLAYTON -- Johnston schools Superintendent James Causby said Wednesday that Clayton High School will no longer stop students from wearing the Confederate flag after a parent complained that the ban was unconstitutional.
Clayton High School principal Jerry Smith banned the symbol Oct. 30, when a group of students wore Confederate insignia to school on the same day in memory of a friend who died the previous year. Smith told the students the Confederate symbol violated the district's dress code, which prohibits clothing that disrupts the classroom.
Some students protested the next day by wearing the emblem again. School officials said the flag was sometimes an incendiary symbol associated with white supremacism, and the students agreed to change clothes. The debate soon died down.
"One day it was the hottest topic on campus, and two days later it was like it was gone," guidance counselor Rodney Allred said.
But Terry Shelton of Clayton, a Civil War re-enactment buff and parent of three Clayton High students, argued that the emblem had not actually disturbed class and that banning an emblem because of its potential for disruption was a violation of free speech.
"I do absolutely agree that that flag has been misused by a lot of white supremacist organizations, who I adamantly denounce," Shelton said. "My point was, you can't preach tolerance if you pick and choose what you will tolerate."
He met with Smith, who stood by the ban, and later with Causby, who also upheld it.
The county Board of Education would have made a final decision in February. But Causby and school board attorney Jimmy Lawrence reviewed the legal precedents again last week and this time agreed with Shelton.
In 1969, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that students had the right to express their opinions as long as they did not disrupt class -- and that this freedom of expression extended to clothing.
"Based upon that, my attorney looked back, and we concluded he had some valid points here, and it's better to handle this issue administratively than to make it a big issue," Causby said.
Jennifer Moon, a junior at Clayton High, said she didn't think wearing the Confederate flag was a major issue before the ban was enacted. She said she has seen almost no signs of racial tension at school.
"I don't think that anyone was really offended whenever they wore it," she said.
Many of her classmates were upset by the ban at first, Moon said, but they soon decided not to fight the policy.
"It's not the biggest problem we have with the dress code," she said, rattling off a list of regulations about tank tops, skirts and shorts.
TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Culture/Society; Front Page News; News/Current Events; US: North Carolina
KEYWORDS: 1stamendment; confederateflag; dixie; dixielist; northcarolina; oldnorthstate; unhelpful
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
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To: Mercat
uniforms....is that your community standard?
21
posted on
01/30/2003 6:57:57 AM PST
by
M-cubed
To: billbears
I thought this thread could use a visual aid : )
MKM
22
posted on
01/30/2003 7:18:27 AM PST
by
mykdsmom
("It is only the warlike power of a civilized people that can give peace to the world.")
To: Mercat
Can the uniforms be Confederate gray?
To: mykdsmom
Yes!
24
posted on
01/30/2003 8:06:06 AM PST
by
aomagrat
(IYAOYAS)
To: mykdsmom
Sometimes it is the offended who need to be educated on the object of their offence, rather than pacifying their ignorance.
25
posted on
01/30/2003 8:37:33 AM PST
by
F.J. Mitchell
(truth is the life blood of genuine unity)
To: mykdsmom
That is the second most beautiful flag on earth. Wonder if anyone here can run a search and discover who created this genuine work of art?
26
posted on
01/30/2003 8:43:23 AM PST
by
F.J. Mitchell
(truth is the life blood of genuine unity)
To: F.J. Mitchell
Sometimes it is the offended who need to be educated on the object of their offence, rather than pacifying their ignorance. The logical flaw in your suggestion is that the school would have to first concern itself with actually educating.
27
posted on
01/30/2003 9:10:26 AM PST
by
LTCJ
(Bans are put in place largely to keep administrators from having to think.)
To: Illbay
i'd bet you would NOT feel that way if the damnyankee/scalawag side had won this one!
free dixie,sw
28
posted on
01/30/2003 9:23:44 AM PST
by
stand watie
(Resistance to tyrants is obedience to God. : Thomas Jefferson 1774)
To: sheltonmac
i'd happily design one for the school @ zero cost.
think cadet gray uniforms for the males & devided riding skirts for the females with jackets, similar to the ones the LA female volunteers wore in 1861/62.
FRee dixie,sw
29
posted on
01/30/2003 9:26:53 AM PST
by
stand watie
(Resistance to tyrants is obedience to God. : Thomas Jefferson 1774)
To: Illbay
". Schools ought to just say "you're here to learn. If you want to make silly political statements do that on your own time and place.""
When is the last time you had a child in public school?
At least 50% of the teachers at my son's high school make liberal leftist statements each week. Its only through this site and my views that he knows truth, the other kids in the class all shake their heads in agreement, like the good sheep they are.
The Japanese teacher at my son's elementary school told the class that it was wrong for the US to have bombed Hiroshima.
30
posted on
01/30/2003 9:27:51 AM PST
by
Rebelbase
(Rock with Celtic roots at http://www.sevennations.com)
To: F.J. Mitchell
William Porcher Miles of Richmond, VA designed almost all the CSA flags (& several state flags), including this one in 1861.
FRee dixie,sw
31
posted on
01/30/2003 9:28:28 AM PST
by
stand watie
(Resistance to tyrants is obedience to God. : Thomas Jefferson 1774)
To: stainlessbanner
32
posted on
01/30/2003 9:29:00 AM PST
by
stand watie
(Resistance to tyrants is obedience to God. : Thomas Jefferson 1774)
To: mykdsmom
School officials said the flag was sometimes an incendiary symbol associated with white supremacism, and the students agreed to change clothes. Don't Klan rallies prominantly feature American Flags and Christian Flags? Their centerpiece ceremony revolves around a cross.
I certainly don't think the Klan represents America, and I certainly don't think they are an accurate reflection of Christianity. Ditto for their revolting use of the Confederate flag to advance their despicable racism.
To: TontoKowalski
On the slave ships the US flag was flown. Not the Confederate flag.
34
posted on
01/30/2003 10:03:33 AM PST
by
stopsign
To: stand watie
It is time his talents were recognized and celebrated.
35
posted on
01/30/2003 10:09:50 AM PST
by
F.J. Mitchell
(truth is the life blood of genuine unity)
To: LTCJ
that's a fact.
36
posted on
01/30/2003 10:12:04 AM PST
by
F.J. Mitchell
(truth is the life blood of genuine unity)
To: mykdsmom
Excellent, MKM.
Many thanks!
CD
To: stand watie
I don't care what "side" it is that "wins." I'm sick of the schools being made into special-interest playgrounds.
If you'll agree to allow gang colors, "La Raza," and all the other sick-freak sideshows in to the public schools along with your silly redneck flag-wavers, then at least you're consistent...CONSISTENTLY WRONG.
None of them belong there, period.
38
posted on
01/30/2003 2:08:50 PM PST
by
Illbay
To: Rebelbase
Let's see, I'm posting this at 4:09 P.M. That means I last had a child in public school at 3:35 P.M.
And she'll be there tomorrow at 7:35 A.M.
Any other silly questions?
39
posted on
01/30/2003 2:09:51 PM PST
by
Illbay
To: Constitution Day
Are you having fun up there? I'm SO jealous that you got to hear Cheney speak today. Have fun, be good, drink a beer for me : )
MKM
40
posted on
01/30/2003 2:17:33 PM PST
by
mykdsmom
("...you can't preach tolerance if you pick and choose what you will tolerate.")
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