South Bay Kids Asked to remove American t-shirts

[schlaufuchs]

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/2010/05/06/2010-05-06_california_kids_blasted_for_wearing_american_flag_shirts_on_cinco_de_mayo.html

A handful of California students got an unexpected lesson at their high school this week: Don't wear your stars and stripes on Cinco de Mayo.

Five Morgan Hill, California students were asked to take off their American flag bandannas and turn their T-shirts inside out after students complained, according to NBC news in San Francisco.

Many members of Live Oak High School's large Mexican-American student population that felt it was offensive for the students to wear the American flag on a day that's supposed to celebrate Mexican heritage.

When the boys refused to take off their flag t-shirts and bandannas, they were ordered to go to the principal's office.

"They said we could wear it on any other day," Live Oak student 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 alleged concern was that the T-shirts 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," said Dominic Maciel.

The chastised teens' parents were furious.

"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."

Morgan Hill Unified School District released a statement saying it does not agree with how Live Oak High School administrators handled this incident and that the boys would not be suspended.

But some students believe they are owed an apology.

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



Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/nat...ag_shirts_on_cinco_de_mayo.html#ixzz0nBlSI0Nc

This is from my hometown, and is the talk of the town. What are your thoughts? Did the administration act correctly in asking the kids to turn their shirts inside out? Should Vice Principal Rodriguez (who first made an issue out of it) be fired?

Also to note, this is a Californian town which has a large hispanic population, and has had many issues recently with gang violence.

 

[Formaldehyde]

The 5 rabble rousers are apparently jocks.

This wasn't the only symbolic protest on Cinco de Mayo. About 20 students showed up at Pioneer High School wearing "Border Patrol" T-shirts. By the end of the day, administrators asked them to remove the shirts, which they apparently did with no problems, according to Karen Fuqua, spokeswoman for the San Jose Unified School District.

And the Phoenix Suns wore "Los Suns" jerseys at their basketball game. Afterward, President Barack Obama congratulated their win as he called them by their Spanish team name.

 

[schlaufuchs]

Yeah, I didn't know any of them, but I knew of 2 of them, and they are pretty dumb.

One thing I hate is that they are calling for the VP's head, the one administrator I truly liked at that dumb school (which was my high school, in case you couldn't tell).

 

[warpus]

Eh, no, it's America, they can wear American-themed clothing whenever the hell they want.

Unless it's Canada day, which would be offensive to Canadian-Americans.

 

[Communisto]

ugh....

not surprised

 

[Leonel]

Well Section 8 Part D of the Flag Rules & Regulations state that you shouldn't wear the flag as clothing.

 

[Formaldehyde]

Well Section 8 Part D of the Flag Rules & Regulations state that you shouldn't wear the flag as clothing.

That it does. Leave it to the so-called patriotic to not show proper respect for their own flag.

We should celebrate a different country every school day just to see who would come out of the woodwork in opposition. Kids would be tweeting like crazy to see if they should or shouldn't wear their "colors" to school the next day in protest. France Day, Iraq Day, and North Korea Day would obviously be quite popular.

 

[warpus]

Well Section 8 Part D of the Flag Rules & Regulations state that you shouldn't wear the flag as clothing.

I remember asking this before, but I don't remember what the response was. Is this a law? Like.. in the legal code somewhere? Or just a "guide"

 

[Syterion]

They're probably douchebags, but they shouldn't have to change their clothing if it was just American flags. Everyone who knew them probably knew that they were trying to be offensive, and should have just remembered that douchebags will be douchebags.

 

[cardgame]

lolwtfbbqsauce

YOU DO NOT HAVE A RIGHT TO NOT BE OFFENDED.

 

[Formaldehyde]

I remember asking this before, but I don't remember what the response was. Is this a law? Like.. in the legal code somewhere? Or just a "guide"

It is etiquette like not talking when someone is taking their shot when playing golf. Or not speaking with your mouth full. Or not deliberately offending various minorities when they are celebrating their heritage.

 

[Leonel]

I remember asking this before, but I don't remember what the response was. Is this a law? Like.. in the legal code somewhere? Or just a "guide"

Well they're more like guidelines than rules. In any case, I get to nad-kick any violators as per the unwritten rule.

 

[Merkinball]

I'd really love to see the complete and total opposite reaction of a white Arizona school made Mexican kids take off their Mexican flag shirts.

 

[cardgame]

I'd really love to see the complete and total opposite reaction of a white Arizona school made Mexican kids take off their Mexican flag shirts.

OK

lolwtfbbqsauce

YOU DO NOT HAVE A RIGHT TO NOT BE OFFENDED.

 

[Ulyaoth]

Absolutely ridiculous. Teacher who sent them to principal's office and principal should both be fired.

 

[illram]

They're probably douchebags, but they shouldn't have to change their clothing if it was just American flags. Everyone who knew them probably knew that they were trying to be offensive, and should have just remembered that douchebags will be douchebags.

Pretty much my sentiments on this one. If the kids were trying to make a statement, the school just helped them 100x over by making a huge deal out of it and it's a pretty plain violation of their 1st am. rights to make them change their clothes due to something so innocuous. Schools have a lot of leeway but not that much leeway.

 

[Nerowannabe]

They're probably douchebags, but they shouldn't have to change their clothing if it was just American flags. Everyone who knew them probably knew that they were trying to be offensive, and should have just remembered that douchebags will be douchebags.

I agree with this sentiment completely. As a Mexican though I am not in the least bit offended and do not agree with the student that was quoted in the article.

 

[Valka D'Ur]

The 5 rabble rousers are apparently jocks.

One of them is also apparently invisible. Or just really, really short.

 

[Ulyaoth]

It doesn't matter if it's some Mexican holiday, this is America if you want to wear an American flag you should have the right to do so.

 

[schlaufuchs]

I think they're pretty clearly trolling. Earlier in the day talking to kids on facebook, it kind of looked like they might not have realized it, but it seems they were definitely making a statement.

If you read the Mercury News, they say they support the anti-immigration legislation, and wanted to make a statement. Strangely enough, they didn't think it would get so blown out of proportion.

I think the administrators were right in their actions. This is a gang active town, which has had a lot of problems with Norteño and Sudeño junk. When I was a Sophomore in high school there was a huge gang fight at the other high school in town. My family was telling me that earlier in the school year there was a big gang scare and there were several cop cars sitting outside the school entrance, cordoning and directing traffic into the bus drive in.

The gang rules at the school are totally outrageous. You cannot wear red or blue shoe laces, and you cannot wear a New York Yankees baseball cap, just to name a few of their rules. So to me, it doesn't seem too out of place to take some discretionary actions towards a couple of stupid trolls.

Also apparently they were receiving threats throughout the day.