Rebel flag flew..boys won't graduate.

They worked hard they should be able to graduate. I am not saying that I am agreeing with them flying their flags but how would the Principal like it if he couldn't keep his job because he wouldn't let these people graduate alot of parents are going to be pissed.. When I see that flag all I see is a flag nothing else no meaning although it might have more meaning to others. I think of the Dukes of Hazard and the General Lee that had the flag on it.The confederate flag is still a sore spot with alot of people but these boys should graduate because they worked hard and passed..What they done shouldn't be held against what work they done at school to pass. Let other people take up the problem and address it with the boys it is not the principals right to keep them from graduating when they passed all their classes.

The problem with diversity is that you have to give free expression to everyone. If the boys say that they didn't mean to imply racism, then it seems harsh. You cannot guess what the flag means to the boys. What it means to minorities might also be important, but I do not think that should be everything. Common sense should rule. There are people who find the confederate flag to be the symbol of southern pride. If it isn't presented in a way to be threatening or openly racists, I think it needs to be tolerated. We need to maintain an atmosphere of free speech, stepping in only very occasionally when things are taken too far. I think there is a tendency to over-react. Now, as to how this issue affects minority populations. People will read about this story and then use it as an excuse to dismiss your concerns. In this case, no-minorities will see the minorities as petty, small minded, whiners. There was a time, once, when I was in a diversity enrichment class. The person running the class was a minority. He had this example about Rodger who felt his last boss was racist but now had a new boss. The question was asked, what should Rodger do about the old boss. One person, a minority, said that Rodger should go to the new boss and complain about the old one. I had a different point of view. I suggested that Rodger should take this as an opportunity to put his best foot forward. Complaining about the old boss would give Rodger a reputation as a complainer with the new boss. A "difficult" employee who needed to be watched. Well, long and short, I wasn't really allowed to explain my point of view. This was interesting because the minority guy leading the class was trying to teach me to respect different points of view from a rich diversity of cultures other than my one. Yet, the point I wish to point out is, he couldn't give time to try to appreciate my different point of view. He didn't need to agree with it, but listening to other points of view was the point of his class and he demonstrated no ability to do so. Let me assure you, I wasn't the only non-minority person to dismiss this guy's qualifications at that point. The rest of the class was just a bit of benign silliness (B S) which needed to be tolerate so we could get back to our jobs. The man lost an opportunity to actually reach people. This is a similar concept. Non-minorities need to take prejudice and racism as a serious issue. But when issues like this come up it works counter to the greater cause. Minority issues are, then, seen as petty and meaningless benign silliness. The are not only not taken seriously, they are considered worthless concerns. Even more, non-minorities would talk among themselves and wonder about how far things could be bent out of perspective if someone doesn't keep a reign on this benign silliness. Do you see how that not only doesn't help anyone but actively hurts the greater cause? Perhaps not, but my words are a good faith effort to be helpful in a larger perspective.

LOL..."they wasn't meaning no harm" I know I'm not from down there and maybe I don't have any right to judge what the flag means to people but I really believe it has more than just that meaning...Southern pride doesn't necessarily mean racism. I wish I could remember all the details but way back there was a Supreme Court case about students who were expelled from school for wearing arm bands in silent protest to the Vietnam War...in the end the students won because of their right to free speech. I wonder if this case could fall under the same?

Well...if there is in fact a "clear policy" on it, then that needs to be followed and enforced. That isn't to say the policy is (or isn't) a good one...it just means that until the policy is changed, it needs to be taken seriously.

Did the boys know about this policy before they do what they did. If so then it is good that the principal is holding this policy. Rules are rules and children should follow these. Racism and hatred need to be out of this world and if Principals and policy makers are trying to make these youngsters understand that it is wrong then I will go with it.