High School Kids Suspended for Wearing American Flag Shirts

[Gawdzilla Sama]

"Jingoism". It's being used inappropriately here. The vast majority of the flags are not being aimed at another country, so there's no war-mongering going on. So a simply display of a flag, say at a school, would be called "jingoism" only if one doesn't understand what the word means.

Again, I never said it was jingoism, just that it can be interpreted as such. Kind of like what BAA said, only without using a gun.

I never said you, I said whoever uses it in that fashion is screwing the pooch.

[owtth]

"Jingoism". It's being used inappropriately here. The vast majority of the flags are not being aimed at another country, so there's no war-mongering going on. So a simply display of a flag, say at a school, would be called "jingoism" only if one doesn't understand what the word means.

Again, I never said it was jingoism, just that it can be interpreted as such. Kind of like what BAA said, only without using a gun.

I never said you, I said whoever uses it in that fashion is screwing the pooch.

Sorry, I thought you meant that I was applying it inappropriately.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

"Jingoism". It's being used inappropriately here. The vast majority of the flags are not being aimed at another country, so there's no war-mongering going on. So a simply display of a flag, say at a school, would be called "jingoism" only if one doesn't understand what the word means.

Again, I never said it was jingoism, just that it can be interpreted as such. Kind of like what BAA said, only without using a gun.

I never said you, I said whoever uses it in that fashion is screwing the pooch.

Sorry, I thought you meant that I was applying it inappropriately.

You were clear that "some people say", so that was what I was working with.

[owtth]

"Jingoism". It's being used inappropriately here. The vast majority of the flags are not being aimed at another country, so there's no war-mongering going on. So a simply display of a flag, say at a school, would be called "jingoism" only if one doesn't understand what the word means.

Again, I never said it was jingoism, just that it can be interpreted as such. Kind of like what BAA said, only without using a gun.

I never said you, I said whoever uses it in that fashion is screwing the pooch.

Sorry, I thought you meant that I was applying it inappropriately.

You were clear that "some people say", so that was what I was working with.

I thought you may have been turning into a grumpy old bastard for a bit

[Gawdzilla Sama]

"Jingoism". It's being used inappropriately here. The vast majority of the flags are not being aimed at another country, so there's no war-mongering going on. So a simply display of a flag, say at a school, would be called "jingoism" only if one doesn't understand what the word means.

Again, I never said it was jingoism, just that it can be interpreted as such. Kind of like what BAA said, only without using a gun.

I never said you, I said whoever uses it in that fashion is screwing the pooch.

Sorry, I thought you meant that I was applying it inappropriately.

You were clear that "some people say", so that was what I was working with.

I thought you may have been turning into a grumpy old bastard for a bit

Bit late for that.

[floppit]

If I'm looking for a place to live I back away from where there are flags flown. I can't help but notice in countries about to engage in violence up pop the flags, or when there's racial tension in the air, the Pakistani flag, Jamaican Flag, the George cross. Over here a lot of flag flying means trouble so I tend to dislike the ruddy things.

I could no more swear allegiance to any state than I could to any religion - for different reason's perhaps but ultimately, without the use of soothsaying it is impossible to know what atrocities may be asked by differing state leaders.

As a person does nothing to have earned their place of birth (or their great grandfather's ) nationalism appears quite irrational to me, regardless of whether it's merkin, irish, english, or mexican!

That aside, since when did freedom of speech and expression extend to schools? Maybe it should but I honestly believed that just about the world over a school 'could' have a dress code, suspend any child for being rude (even if true - the teacher may well be fat...), or ask that a child alter behaviour/clothing/jewellery etc if it's causing trouble, or perceived as about to cause trouble. Is that not the case in the US? If memory serves me, schools were never that hot on 'fair' at the best of times, hardly news.

[Ian]

That aside, since when did freedom of speech and expression extend to schools? Maybe it should but I honestly believed that just about the world over a school 'could' have a dress code, suspend any child for being rude (even if true - the teacher may well be fat...), or ask that a child alter behaviour/clothing/jewellery etc if it's causing trouble, or perceived as about to cause trouble. Is that not the case in the US? If memory serves me, schools were never that hot on 'fair' at the best of times, hardly news.

It's all a matter of deciding what's offensive and what's not: i.e. where the line is drawn.

When I was 14 a friend of mine had a t-shirt taken away by a gym teacher because it showed (without being graphic) Gumby being blown by Betty Boop. I can see how that could be seen as offensive by a large portion of the student body (namely, most of the girls), but I think the line has moved too far to one side if a student can't wear a shirt showing nothing more than a flag.

[kiki5711]

I want the school my kids go to be safe. That is why they have rules and dress codes. Kids of that age are easily rouled up even for small things. I don't want to worry if my son is going to make it safe home from school.

My older daughter use to get in trouble all the time. If it wasn't the principal or a teacher calling me at home, it was a parent. One time when she was in middle school, one boy kept teasing her. He made remarks about her hair, and said it looked like pussy hair. One day she saw him in the hallway smirking at her. She went right up to him and gave him a back kick kung fu style right in the face. He fell on the floor and was hurt. The principal called me and told me what happened, (he didn't mention why she kicked him) so I waited till she came home. I asked her why she kicked him and after she told me why, I said "give me high five" the little bastard deserved it.

Another time she shoved one girl to the ground and smeared her face across the cement. The girls mother came to my house showing me what happened. Again I asked "Juliet, what happened?" she said this girl would not leave her alone on the bus and was asking for it. Sorry but I had to agree with her. The girl was asking for it. But I didn't say that to the mother. I just told her I'd take care of it and I'm sorry.

My point is that kids that age can be sometimes very cruel until they find out they cannot get away from it and they get hit. The principals responsibility is to minimize any kind of confrontation or disruption possible. The goal of going to school is to learn.

Even as I write this my son was telling me a few minutes ago how two guys got in a bloody fight yesterday. And what was the reason?? One of them cut in line. So, you can see it doesn't take much.

[Coito ergo sum]

I want the school my kids go to be safe. That is why they have rules and dress codes. Kids of that age are easily rouled up even for small things. I don't want to worry if my son is going to make it safe home from school.

My older daughter use to get in trouble all the time. If it wasn't the principal or a teacher calling me at home, it was a parent. One time when she was in middle school, one boy kept teasing her. He made remarks about her hair, and said it looked like pussy hair. One day she saw him in the hallway smirking at her. She went right up to him and gave him a back kick kung fu style right in the face. He fell on the floor and was hurt. The principal called me and told me what happened, (he didn't mention why she kicked him) so I waited till she came home. I asked her why she kicked him and after she told me why, I said "give me high five" the little bastard deserved it.

Another time she shoved one girl to the ground and smeared her face across the cement. The girls mother came to my house showing me what happened. Again I asked "Juliet, what happened?" she said this girl would not leave her alone on the bus and was asking for it. Sorry but I had to agree with her. The girl was asking for it. But I didn't say that to the mother. I just told her I'd take care of it and I'm sorry.

My point is that kids that age can be sometimes very cruel until they find out they cannot get away from it and they get hit. The principals responsibility is to minimize any kind of confrontation or disruption possible. The goal of going to school is to learn.

Even as I write this my son was telling me a few minutes ago how two guys got in a bloody fight yesterday. And what was the reason?? One of them cut in line. So, you can see it doesn't take much.

So, what are you saying? Ban the Mexican Americans from proudly flying or wearing their flag?

[Coito ergo sum]

That aside, since when did freedom of speech and expression extend to schools? Maybe it should but I honestly believed that just about the world over a school 'could' have a dress code, suspend any child for being rude (even if true - the teacher may well be fat...), or ask that a child alter behaviour/clothing/jewellery etc if it's causing trouble, or perceived as about to cause trouble. Is that not the case in the US? If memory serves me, schools were never that hot on 'fair' at the best of times, hardly news.

It's all a matter of deciding what's offensive and what's not: i.e. where the line is drawn.

When I was 14 a friend of mine had a t-shirt taken away by a gym teacher because it showed (without being graphic) Gumby being blown by Betty Boop. I can see how that could be seen as offensive by a large portion of the student body (namely, most of the girls), but I think the line has moved too far to one side if a student can't wear a shirt showing nothing more than a flag.

Well, schools have dress codes. Apparently, wearing flags was not against the dress code, since students were permitted, en masse, to wear Mexican flag shirts. It appears that singling out the American flag as worthy of suspension, but allowing Mexican flags to be worn, is somewhat unfair.

[kiki5711]

I want the school my kids go to be safe. That is why they have rules and dress codes. Kids of that age are easily rouled up even for small things. I don't want to worry if my son is going to make it safe home from school.

My older daughter use to get in trouble all the time. If it wasn't the principal or a teacher calling me at home, it was a parent. One time when she was in middle school, one boy kept teasing her. He made remarks about her hair, and said it looked like pussy hair. One day she saw him in the hallway smirking at her. She went right up to him and gave him a back kick kung fu style right in the face. He fell on the floor and was hurt. The principal called me and told me what happened, (he didn't mention why she kicked him) so I waited till she came home. I asked her why she kicked him and after she told me why, I said "give me high five" the little bastard deserved it.

Another time she shoved one girl to the ground and smeared her face across the cement. The girls mother came to my house showing me what happened. Again I asked "Juliet, what happened?" she said this girl would not leave her alone on the bus and was asking for it. Sorry but I had to agree with her. The girl was asking for it. But I didn't say that to the mother. I just told her I'd take care of it and I'm sorry.

My point is that kids that age can be sometimes very cruel until they find out they cannot get away from it and they get hit. The principals responsibility is to minimize any kind of confrontation or disruption possible. The goal of going to school is to learn.

Even as I write this my son was telling me a few minutes ago how two guys got in a bloody fight yesterday. And what was the reason?? One of them cut in line. So, you can see it doesn't take much.

So, what are you saying? Ban the Mexican Americans from proudly flying or wearing their flag?

They can wipe their ass with it for all I care, I just don't want kids at school to have any kind of excuses to attack another student. They find enough excuses to be bad as it is. Maybe it should be put in their rules that they hand out at the beginning of the school year. Sort it out and deal with it when the time comes, but I don't think a high school is the fair grounds where such a battle should be played.

[Coito ergo sum]

I want the school my kids go to be safe. That is why they have rules and dress codes. Kids of that age are easily rouled up even for small things. I don't want to worry if my son is going to make it safe home from school.

My older daughter use to get in trouble all the time. If it wasn't the principal or a teacher calling me at home, it was a parent. One time when she was in middle school, one boy kept teasing her. He made remarks about her hair, and said it looked like pussy hair. One day she saw him in the hallway smirking at her. She went right up to him and gave him a back kick kung fu style right in the face. He fell on the floor and was hurt. The principal called me and told me what happened, (he didn't mention why she kicked him) so I waited till she came home. I asked her why she kicked him and after she told me why, I said "give me high five" the little bastard deserved it.

Another time she shoved one girl to the ground and smeared her face across the cement. The girls mother came to my house showing me what happened. Again I asked "Juliet, what happened?" she said this girl would not leave her alone on the bus and was asking for it. Sorry but I had to agree with her. The girl was asking for it. But I didn't say that to the mother. I just told her I'd take care of it and I'm sorry.

My point is that kids that age can be sometimes very cruel until they find out they cannot get away from it and they get hit. The principals responsibility is to minimize any kind of confrontation or disruption possible. The goal of going to school is to learn.

Even as I write this my son was telling me a few minutes ago how two guys got in a bloody fight yesterday. And what was the reason?? One of them cut in line. So, you can see it doesn't take much.

So, what are you saying? Ban the Mexican Americans from proudly flying or wearing their flag?

They can wipe their ass with it for all I care, I just don't want kids at school to have any kind of excuses to attack another student. They find enough excuses to be bad as it is. Maybe it should be put in their rules that they hand out at the beginning of the school year. Sort it out and deal with it when the time comes, but I don't think a high school is the fair grounds where such a battle should be played.

Sooooo....in your opinion, don't let them wear the flag of Mexico?

[kiki5711]

I want the school my kids go to be safe. That is why they have rules and dress codes. Kids of that age are easily rouled up even for small things. I don't want to worry if my son is going to make it safe home from school.

My older daughter use to get in trouble all the time. If it wasn't the principal or a teacher calling me at home, it was a parent. One time when she was in middle school, one boy kept teasing her. He made remarks about her hair, and said it looked like pussy hair. One day she saw him in the hallway smirking at her. She went right up to him and gave him a back kick kung fu style right in the face. He fell on the floor and was hurt. The principal called me and told me what happened, (he didn't mention why she kicked him) so I waited till she came home. I asked her why she kicked him and after she told me why, I said "give me high five" the little bastard deserved it.

Another time she shoved one girl to the ground and smeared her face across the cement. The girls mother came to my house showing me what happened. Again I asked "Juliet, what happened?" she said this girl would not leave her alone on the bus and was asking for it. Sorry but I had to agree with her. The girl was asking for it. But I didn't say that to the mother. I just told her I'd take care of it and I'm sorry.

My point is that kids that age can be sometimes very cruel until they find out they cannot get away from it and they get hit. The principals responsibility is to minimize any kind of confrontation or disruption possible. The goal of going to school is to learn.

Even as I write this my son was telling me a few minutes ago how two guys got in a bloody fight yesterday. And what was the reason?? One of them cut in line. So, you can see it doesn't take much.

So, what are you saying? Ban the Mexican Americans from proudly flying or wearing their flag?

They can wipe their ass with it for all I care, I just don't want kids at school to have any kind of excuses to attack another student. They find enough excuses to be bad as it is. Maybe it should be put in their rules that they hand out at the beginning of the school year. Sort it out and deal with it when the time comes, but I don't think a high school is the fair grounds where such a battle should be played.

Sooooo....in your opinion, don't let them wear the flag of Mexico?

School uniforms. Unless your zip code is 90214 Beverly Hills, then dress code is the most expensive clothes you can buy.