Ss suspended for wearing US flag on Cinco De Mayo

[barbaro]

Not a joke.

How can people so stupid get into administrative positions at public schools. Tax dollars, hard at work.

news local-beat
Students Kicked Off Campus for Wearing American Flag Tees

Freedom of expression or cultural disrespect on Cinco de Mayo?

By GEORGE KIRIYAMA

Updated 2:50 PM PDT, Thu, May 6, 2010

weetTOP1K

On any other day at Live Oak High School in Morgan Hill, Daniel Galli and his four friends would not even be noticed for wearing T-shirts with the American flag. But Cinco de Mayo is not any typical day especially on a campus with a large Mexican American student population.

Galli says he and his friends were sitting at a table during brunch break when the vice principal asked two of the boys to remove American flag bandannas that they wearing on their heads and for the others to turn their American flag T-shirts inside out. When they refused, the boys were ordered to go to the principal's office.

"They said we could wear it on any other day," Daniel Galli said, "but today is sensitive to Mexican-Americans because it's supposed to be their holiday so we were not allowed to wear it today."

The boys said the administrators called their T-shirts "incendiary" that would lead to fights on campus.
"They said if we tried to go back to class with our shirts not taken off, they said it was defiance and we would get suspended," Dominic Maciel, Galli's friend, said.

The boys really had no choice, and went home to avoid suspension. They say they're angry they were not allowed to express their American pride. Their parents are just as upset, calling what happened to their children, "total nonsense."
"I think it's absolutely ridiculous," Julie Fagerstrom, Maciel's mom, said. "All they were doing was displaying their patriotic nature. They're expressing their individuality."

But to many Mexican-American students at Live Oak, this was a big deal. They say they were offended by the five boys and others for wearing American colors on a Mexican holiday.

"I think they should apologize cause it is a Mexican Heritage Day," Annicia Nunez, a Live Oak High student, said. "We don't deserve to be get disrespected like that. We wouldn't do that on Fourth of July."

As for an apology, the boys and their families say, 'fat chance.'

"I'm not going to apologize. I did nothing wrong," Galli said. "I went along with my normal day. I might have worn an American flag, but I'm an American and I'm proud to be an American."

The five boys and their families met with a Morgan Hill Unified School District official Wednesday night. The district and the school do not see eye-to-eye on the incident and released the following statement:

The district does not concur with the Live Oak High School administration's interpretation of either board or district policy related to these actions.

The boys will not be suspended and were allowed to return to school Thursday. We spotted one of them when he got to campus -- and, yes, he was sporting an American flag T-shirt.

Link & Entire: Students Kicked Off Campus for Wearing American Flag Tees | NBC Bay Area

[SEA Traveler]

to wear a representational symbol such as the flag in one's home country to show national pride and support should always be welcomed. the the thread title references, "stupid school administrators".

[robuzo]

"But to many Mexican-American students at Live Oak, this was a big deal. They say they were offended by the five boys and others for wearing American colors on a Mexican holiday."

Something wrong with this sentence. . .lemme see. . .there: "But to many Mexican students at Live Oak, this was a big deal. They say they were offended by the five boys and others for wearing American colors on a Mexican holiday."

I'm about as far from a chest-thumping patriot as you can get, but this is appalling.

[Jet Gorgon]

^ It is appalling. What's amazing to me is that some CA kids are patriotic.
Allowing the rights, customs and language of another country to supersede those of your own is wrong.

[sabang]

Allowing the rights, customs and language of another country to supersede those of your own is wrong.

I definitely agree, although i guess we've got to accept that this may occur in specific 'ethnic enclaves', rather than a whole region.

Ridiculous stuff. The schoolies justified it as a sort of 'keeping the peace' decision, but I think thats nonsense. Heck, if I want to wear a T with the bluddy Arabian flag on cinco de Mayo, thats my right.

I guess it's getting blown out of all proportion because of the current immigration debate, and the penchant of the disgruntled Right for wearing this sort of stuff, as indeed is their right. But when it comes down to it, it's just some lazy schoolteachers taking the easy way out, because they want an easy life and an easy job. Or so they thought.

Anyway, surely there are more original ways of making a statement than stars n stripes regalia on a Mexican holiday? Use some originality boys

How about a 'Remember the Alamo' T shirt?

Or one of these-



^ Thats the Zapatista flag.

Or a 'Mohammed Rocks' T shirt over Easter .
Or some Monty Python stuff.

Of course, lot of fun to be had on the 4th of July. A British or Mexican flag?
Or one advertising British tea maybe.
but my choice-



Flag of the American Indian movement.



Thats the problem with these dissident types, they lack originaility. Boring. Maybe they should hire some poovey, avant garde fashion types.

[Jet Gorgon]

^ I heard that two of the kids who had abstract US flag t-shirts were not told to turn their shirts inside out.
Hey, you can't wear the flag of your own country in your own country? That's what is so bizarre.

[sabang]

I agree with you there, but in fact you are quite free to wear the flag of any protest movement or country in a democratic country (well, I think so). Che Guevara sold a whole lot more T shirts than he ever converted people to his revolutionary cause.

Perhaps the weirdest thing is, if a couple of local geeks had gone to school wearing the Union Jack, or even a Chinese flag that day, they probably wouldn't have been hassled.

[Jet Gorgon]

^ True. The kids wouldn't know what those flags were. Cool new designs.

[robuzo]

I hate to sound paranoid, but as impressionable as kids are I wouldn't be surprised if a good number of the younger Chicanos are getting caught up in the "Reconquista" bullshit. Kind of ironic if the other Hispanic kids are taking the Mexican side, considering A) the horrors Central Americans have to endure in Mexico on their way to the US, and b) that Mexico would probably take Guatemala and the rest of the isthmus all the way to Panama if they thought they could get away with it.

[larvidchr]

This problem is increasing, and it is not only in the US, it's all over the place, national flags are coupled with nationalism and more nasty words, where it before was custom to have the national flag on your flagpole on the countryside farms and in your villa residential areas it is now not PC and the owners are seen as ultraconservative right wing types and worse.

In a time where globalization and immigration is being shoved down our throats, even the slightest perceived dissent, like being fond of your flag, or God forbid, proud of your Country, is clamped down on by frightened CEO's and State/Government administrators, the hysterical PC nutters campaign of "terror" has succeeded.

Merry Christmas anybody? ohh no no- Happy holidays it is

[Jet Gorgon]

^ It's sadder when the flag of another country pre-empts that of your own in your own country.

[robuzo]

It is pretty bizarre when students get sent home because wearing their nation's flag on a shirt offends some foreign students; if they weren't foreign students why would they be offended by their nation's flag?

Of course, there is always the possibility that this isn't about the students at all- maybe no Chicano kids complained at all. Could be the work of a daft administrator.

[Jet Gorgon]

^ No, Latino kids complained BIG TIME.

WATCH: Mexican Flag Students Assail Man in Wheelchair | The FOX Nation

[chitown]

Unbelievable. Wearing the flag from your country disrespects a Mexican holiday?

I will say this though, I was always taught that wearing the flag as an item of clothing - a t-shirt or bandanna was disrespectful. I would never have been allowed to wear something like that and I would never had worn anything like that on my own.

Flags are meant to be flown, not worn. Just my personal conviction.

[sabang]

Flags are meant to be flown, not worn. Just my personal conviction.

Mine too- but we can only report offenders to the Fashion police.

[robuzo]

Flags are meant to be flown, not worn. Just my personal conviction.

Mine too- but we can only report offenders them to the Fashion police.

Definitely. Maybe they were wearing shirts with some sort of patriotic logo.

I wonder if the amigos would have made an exception for Raquel? I probably would

[Jet Gorgon]

Flags are meant to be flown, not worn. Just my personal conviction.

True, but if you don't let it hit the ground, it's OK.

[AjarnJonesy]

Unbelievable. Wearing the flag from your country disrespects a Mexican holiday?

I will say this though, I was always taught that wearing the flag as an item of clothing - a t-shirt or bandanna was disrespectful. I would never have been allowed to wear something like that and I would never had worn anything like that on my own.

Flags are meant to be flown, not worn. Just my personal conviction.

I cant agree enough with you on that sentiment...... While the thought that dispalying an American Flag IN America could at any time be seen as disrespectful of some OTHER country is completely asinine .......

But I also agree with you that it is disrespectful to wear the flag like so many do today... That is an honor that should be reserved only for those fallen soldiers whose casket are covered with an American Flag......

[Jet Gorgon]

I also agree with you that it is disrespectful to wear the flag like so many do today... That is an honor that should be reserved only for those fallen soldiers whose casket are covered with an American Flag......

I agree with you, but for teens to wear Tees or bandannas adorned with flags is pretty special these days -- in a good way, IMO. Usually, it was Che faces or anti-war images. If they respect it and are proud to wear it, why not?

[AjarnJonesy]

I also agree with you that it is disrespectful to wear the flag like so many do today... That is an honor that should be reserved only for those fallen soldiers whose casket are covered with an American Flag......

I agree with you, but for teens to wear Tees or bandannas adorned with flags is pretty special these days -- in a good way, IMO. Usually, it was Che faces or anti-war images. If they respect it and are proud to wear it, why not?

I see your point ... But I think the problem with kids today wearing the flag as clothing speaks more to our loss of respect and values.. I know that most vets (WWII in particular) have found it to be a bit disrespectful, and my grand fathers from both sides of the family saw it that way. It just saddens me to see how we have departed moral code that the greatest generation of this country died to protect.

[Jet Gorgon]

^ Understood. I have read Civil War and other battle memoirs that note soldiers' reverence for the flag. Never let it touch the ground, never let it be sullied, never let it be captured.