Kids Kicked out of School for Wearing American Flag Tshirts

[Irin997]

So, in an American school, wearing clothes showing an American flag is racist??

An American, in America, wearing an American school....I'm with you.

Considering the fact that the "holiday" or "observance" of Cinco De Mayo is a Mexican tradition - not an American one.

This is the part of the article that really gets me:

"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."

 

[moburg]

exactly!

I am still waiting to hear the whole story - if they have evidence that the boys were intending this to stir up trouble and coordinated the shirts specifically for this purpose, then I will change my stance. Until then, this is clearly a major over reaction by the school principal or whoever.

ETA: then again, what are the chances they all wore the same shirt on this day......so I am leaning to racism!

I wouldn't care if they coordinated among themselves to make a statement. If so, they chose a fairly innocuous form of protest within the bounds of the schools dress code. Last I checked, political expression is still legal in this country. We aren't Venezuela or Iran... yet.

 

[Mickey's Minion]

While it certainly is possible that the boys wore their US flag shirts as some sort of statement about the Arizona immigration law, that is their right. That doesn't necessarily mean their actions were incendiary - they may not have had any intent other than to make a quiet statement. Given the current climate regarding the immigration issue, one could just as easily argue that perhaps the Mexican-American students were the ones being incendiary. The report I read said that hundreds of the Mexican-American students were sporting the colors of the Mexican flag, had the Mexican flag painted on their faces, etc. Without being there, we can't know if they did this just because it was Cinco de Mayo or if they were, shall we say, "more enthusiastic" than usual about the holiday as a means of protesting the Arizona law. It could go either way.

I have to agree here.

Unfortunately it is the belligerence of very small, but very visible group of immigrants, dissing the US while still reaping the benefits that is fueling growing anti-immigrant sentiments. Much like the immigration parade a few years ago when they walked down the street with the American flag upside down and under the Mexican flag. Since most Mexican-AMERICANS and Mexican immigrants are wonderful, hard working, productive members of our society that bring a wealth of culture and beauty into our melting pot, I hate to see small groups use their Mexican heritage to dis the US.

Not saying this kind of belligerence and flaunting of Mexico while subtly dissing the US is what happened in the school as we do not have enough info, but if it was, then yes, it could go either way.

In any case, I cannot ever see wearing the American flag in the United States of America as racist. This is the US and welcome to this great country. Celebrate your heritage, but embrace the country you have chosen to live in. If we are going to be expected to be sensitive to one country's heritage, then we need to enforce it for every single country that is represented by our citizens. No country should have exclusivity on sensitivity. We are all first and foremost Americans with different backgrounds and heritages that we celebrate. But since our forefathers and relatives made a conscious choice to be a part of this country, then this country should always come first.

 

[moburg]

An American, in America, wearing an American school....I'm with you.

Considering the fact that the "holiday" or "observance" of Cinco De Mayo is a Mexican tradition - not an American one.

This is the part of the article that really gets me:

Actually, Cinco de Mayo is celebrated far more in the US than it is in Mexico. Any opportunity for us Americans to go drinking, don't ya know.

 

[Irin997]

Actually, Cinco de Mayo is celebrated far more in the US than it is in Mexico. Any opportunity for us Americans to go drinking, don't ya know.

That is true. Look at St. Patty's Day!

 

[luvmy3]

Aye Carumba

 

[moburg]

That is true. Look at St. Patty's Day!

Another day, I'm sure, where American flag themed clothing is banned. At least in this school district.

 

[catycatcat4]

Perhaps...but these kids should NOT be allowed to have on both american flag shirts AND bandanas that are worn specifically because it's Cinco de Mayo and specifically to inflame and disrespect their mexican-american peers.

I was thinking the same thing 98% chance i bet that they wore it to start something up.

 

[beck0321]

I don't know these guys obviously so I don't know what their intentions were. But this sounds like something my group of friends in high school would do, just to be ironic and stupid; not to offend anyone. Some of them even might have gone one step further and wore the American flag pants from Napoleon Dynamite. "Oh wait it's WHAT day? OOPS I guess I shouldn't have draped myself in the American flag today...my bad!"

It just seems kids at that age like to do stuff like this because it makes them stand out and they think it's funny...just kids being kids...at least that's how we were.

However, they could have had bad intentions by doing what they did. I guess the students would know if these guys were just class clowns or jerks who hate Mexico since they are around them every day...

 

[bored]

I could give a flying flip less why they wore them. Any school administrator who would send kids home for wearing american flag shirts that fit the dress code should be fired on the spot.

If the hispanic students got upset with people wearing the flag of the company they are living in simple answer. Leave!

My guess is none of the other students would have said a word.

 

[Magic Mom]

Perhaps...but these kids should NOT be allowed to have on both american flag shirts AND bandanas that are worn specifically because it's Cinco de Mayo and specifically to inflame and disrespect their mexican-american peers.

Do we know they only wore the shirts because it was Cinco de mayo, or is that just assumption and speculation?

And wearing an American flag doesn't disrespect any American citizen.

 

[piglet too]

I saw a new clip about this. In it, it states that two of the boys are part Mexican, so I don't really see how this is a race issue.

 

[Kim&Chris]

It's a sad day when Americans are reprimanded for wearing shirts with their own flag on it. What the hell is going on in this country?

 

[luvsJack]

I was thinking the same thing 98% chance i bet that they wore it to start something up.

Yep, cuz Americans wearing an American flag is ALWAYS done to start something!

These boys had the right to wear the flag whenever they want to as long as it is within the school's dress code.

Its a darn shame when showing AMERICAN flag/colors by AMERICAN kids at an AMERICAN school is considered to be starting trouble or racist.

 

[jiminyC_fan]

That is absolutely INSANE. Mexican AMERICANS.... Don't we all pledge allegiance to the same flag? If you don't want to be AMERICAN give up your citizenship and move out of the country.

 

[robinb]

I saw a new clip about this. In it, it states that two of the boys are part Mexican, so I don't really see how this is a race issue.

From this article:
http://www.mercurynews.com/breaking-news/ci_15030582?nclick_check=1

The new anti-immigration law in Arizona, giving police broad power to detain anyone suspected of being here illegally, was the backdrop for the clothing choice by the five Morgan Hill teens, ages 15 to 17, who have all been friends since Pop Warner football.



"We're happy about Arizona's law, and you bet we're fired up," said Julie Fagerstrom, whose son, Dominic Maciel, wore a shirt bearing the stripes and stars until he was asked by Assistant Principal Miguel Rodriguez to flip it inside out or go home. Dominic's father, who is no longer really in the picture, Fagerstrom said, is a first-generation Mexican-American.

 

[Mickey's Minion]

It's a sad day when Americans are reprimanded for wearing shirts with their own flag on it. What the hell is going on in this country?

It is a sad, sad day when political correctness has run so amok that any American citizen is punished for showing patriotism to their country.

If these kids are to be punished for not showing sensitivity to the Mexican government, then I believe that the administration should be required to be equally sensitive and give up their pay for the 5th of May, since their pay is funded by the government of the United States of America, the taxpayers of this country.

 

[CKBear]

So if a kid is not suppose to wear an American Flag shirt on Cinco de Mayo, does that mean that the school didn't say the Pledge of Allegiance that day either!?!?

 

[robinb]

So if a kid is not suppose to wear an American Flag shirt on Cinco de Mayo, does that mean that the school didn't say the Pledge of Allegiance that day either!?!?

It may be hard to believe but some schools don't even say the Pledge. It is not required in our school district and my DD's first school did not say it. They played the National Anthem instead.

 

[Mkrop]

If they wanted to wear them as a means of protest, then they should be allowed to do that as well, as long as they were not being disruptive to the school day.