http://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local-be ... 65324.htmlSchool District: American Flag Clothing Incident "Extremely Unfortunate"
By JESSICA GREENE
Updated 6:53 AM PDT, Fri, May 7, 2010
BUZZ UP!
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NBC Bay Area
Some parents of students at Live Oak High School in Morgan Hill are keeping their kids home from school after tension related to an incident involving students wearing American flag clothing on Cinco de Mayo spilled out onto the streets.
Now the school district is sending a message to parents about the controversy, which has become national news. The school district's superintendant directly addressed parents Thursday in a letter posted on the school's website and also sent as a voicemail:
Good evening. This is Dr. Wesley Smith, Superintendent of the Morgan Hill Unified School District. The Morgan Hill Unified School District does not prohibit nor do we discourage wearing patriotic clothing. The incident on May 5 at Live Oak High School is extremely unfortunate. While campus safety is our primary concern and administrators made decisions yesterday in an attempt to ensure campus safety, students should not, and will not, be disciplined for wearing patriotic clothing. This situation and our response are under review.
We know that this is an emotionally charged topic. We would ask you to encourage your students to be safe and focus on their academics while in school. If conversations and/or activities are necessary to express their feelings on this issue, we will find appropriate venues that do not disturb student learning or jeopardize the safety of our students. Furthermore, we encourage everyone to demonstrate respect for each other, open communication, and responsibility.
Thank you for your support and understanding.
Dr. Wesley Smith
Superintendent
It all started on Wednesday, Cinco de Mayo, when five boys wore clothing depicting the American flag. The school's principal asked the boys to remove the items of clothing, turn their shirts inside out, or face suspenion. Instead, the boys opted to go home for the day.
On Thursday, about 200 Mexican-American students walked out of class in protest of the flag clothing incident. Members of the group waved the Mexican flag and said they were marching for respect and unity. They also demanded the school suspend the boys who wore the U.S. flag-adorned clothing.
As a result of this heated debate, other Bay Area schools by the name of Live Oak have been threatened. The Live Oak School District in Santa Cruz County has received several calls from people angry about the issue, even though they are in no way involved in the Morgan Hill school's issue. That district's superintendant believes it's just a same-name misunderstanding and lack of clarity in reporting the school's location.
Odd, that nobody wearing or waiving Mexican flag shirts were not likewise suspended for a day....
California kids blasted for wearing American flag shirts on Cinco de Mayo
BY LINDSAY GOLDWERT
DAILY NEWS WRITER
Thursday, May 6th 2010, 10:28 AM
Mayer/WireImage
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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/nationa ... z0nFiM7chY
A Mexican heritage day?
It's a day commemorating the Mexican army's victory over the French. It's celebrated mainly in only one Mexican state, and has little significance in Mexico.
People have the right to celebrate whatever stupid holiday they want, and it's all well and good to waive a foreign flag around. The Italians have their parade day and Columbus day celebrations, for example. The Norwegians have celebrations on May 17, as well. And, just about every other group has their day or days. And, everyone is allowed to wear the flag of their forefathers. But, I've never heard anyone complain or assert that because we have an Italian heritage day or a Norwegian heritage day that that means that Americans are on those days prohibited from displaying American flags.
I stand behind an ethnically Mexican person's right to celebrate whatever holiday they want and wave whatever flag they want. But, the minute they want to stop someone else from doing the same, I say:
