Kids kicked out of Branson High for wearing confederate flag shirts (home, high school)

[imbored198824]

Just curious what your take on this issue is.....please read the full article. Branson students sent home over confederate memorial shirts - kspr.com

[green_mariner]

Originally Posted by imbored198824

Just curious what your take on this issue is.....please read the full article. Branson students sent home over confederate memorial shirts - kspr.com

My take on it: I do not care. I don't like the confederate flag anyway.

[ETex2]

Sad, but it was probably done as an insult to black students. And that's unfortunate. The Confederate Flag was flown, worn on the shirts of most male students at games (black and white kids alike),and was the symbol of my own high school. Times have changed.

[christina0001]

I personally find the Confederate flag offensive. However, it's so popular here. Bottom line: the school has a dress code and the kids broke it, knowingly. If the family was aware of the dress code and kept breaking it, I don't have sympathy for them. If they have a problem with the dress code, they should be talking with school administration about it, not just breaking it. What message are they sending to their children? That rules only apply if you happen to agree with them?

[green_mariner]

Originally Posted by ETex2

Sad, but it was probably done as an insult to black students. And that's unfortunate. The Confederate Flag was flown, worn on the shirts of most male students at games (black and white kids alike),and was the symbol of my own high school. Times have changed.

This is just my experience. I'm Black, and I've only seen one Black student where a Confederate flag t-shirt. In my old high school, basically, the only kids I ever saw where Confederate flag t-shirts were White kids, no Black kids did it. I never wore one because I found it offensive. Just my personal experience.

[DinsdalePirahna]

I've always said that Blacks should adopt the stars and bars as a symbol of their ancestors suffering. Very much like Christians have adopted a Roman instrument of terror and execution as theirs.

[ETex2]

Originally Posted by green_mariner

This is just my experience. I'm Black, and I've only seen one Black student where a Confederate flag t-shirt. In my old high school, basically, the only kids I ever saw where Confederate flag t-shirts were White kids, no Black kids did it. I never wore one because I found it offensive. Just my personal experience.

But when I was in high school, the Confederate flag was not considered an offensive symbol to anyone. Rather, it was a symbol of pride in our southern heritage. The school name was "South ____", and our mascot was the southern colonel. I graduated in 1970, so this probably doesn't apply to anyone graduating in the last 25-30 years or so. Taking offense at the confederate flag has been contrived since that time.

[todd00]

Regardless of what one thinks of the confederate flag, the schools policy says "no clothing that can be perceived as offensive or distracting". Certainly the confederate flag shirt falls into that category, no matter what it personally means to the student wearing it. That's school policy, adhere to it or risk the consequences. The school is right in this case. That's my take on it.

[green_mariner]

Originally Posted by ETex2

But when I was in high school, the Confederate flag was not considered an offensive symbol to anyone. Rather, it was a symbol of pride in our southern heritage. The school name was "South ____", and our mascot was the southern colonel. I graduated in 1970, so this probably doesn't apply to anyone graduating in the last 25-30 years or so. Taking offense at the confederate flag has been contrived since that time.

I went to high school from 2000-2004. I think that is the difference. I think differently. I remember all of these reasons. Declaration of Causes of Secession

And I went to high school in Georgia, so for me, it was different for me.

[Arrby]

Originally Posted by todd00

Regardless of what one thinks of the confederate flag, the schools policy says "no clothing that can be perceived as offensive or distracting". Certainly the confederate flag shirt falls into that category, no matter what it personally means to the student wearing it. That's school policy, adhere to it or risk the consequences. The school is right in this case. That's my take on it.

"...perceived as offensive or distracting" is an impossible standard. Offensive to whom? Is one person offended enough or does it take two, three, a hundred? Distracting in what way? I remember a female student back in my college days whose tube top was enormously distracting - at least to me. Che Guevara t-shirts are over-the-top offensive to me, so if I am a school janitor can I insist they be banned?

Does the clothing have to have an explicit message? Can a color alone - one associated with a particular political movement, say - be enough? Or perhaps a color combination, red; white, and blue, for example? There are parts of this country where U.S. flag insignias are prohibited in classrooms as they might offend the illegal immigrants. What about a style, brand, or logo? At various times I have seen certain brands or styles associated with gangs, cliques, or ethnic background. Can members of competing groups get these items banned because they are offended?

Vague, ill defined restrictions are the hallmarks of totalitarianism. These sort of problems is why prescribed clothing or even uniforms are of value.