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They say they're just "good ol' boys" who, like the song goes, were "never meaning no harm." But three Bloomington Kennedy seniors were not allowed to attend their commencement Wednesday night after bringing a Confederate flag to school on Tuesday.
"We're all big fans of the Dukes of Hazard," said Dan Fredin, who was suspended, along with Joe Snyder and Justin Thompson. "It's just us showing we have our own style and we aren't going to conform to whatever anyone else thinks."
School officials say at least one of the students waved and carried the flag in the parking lot.
The boys argue they never took the flags off their trucks, but they admit they brought them to the school.
Officials asked the students to remove the flags. Eventually, all three students were suspended for three days -- which, in this case, included graduation.
Officials say a Student Code of Conduct prohibits behavior that may provoke or offend other students.
"We are very clear that the Confederate flag is a symbol of hatred, bigotry and racism," said Rick Kaufman, the Executive Director of Community Relations at Bloomington Kennedy High School.
"It's truly unfortunate that the bad decision they made will prevent them from walking across the stage in graduation," Kaufman said adding that the school has dealt with students bringing confederate flags to school before.
But the students argue the punishment doesn't fit the crime. They say they show the flag as a sign of rebellion, not racism.
"The confederate army was in rebellion to the U.S. Army who were about money and power," Fredin said. "We never took it as racial or anything like that."
Meantime, the American Civil Liberties Union of Minnesota said the students would likely not have a case in court.
Notice that the ACLU says they don't have a case. I have no proof, but I'm betting if it was an Iranian flag the ACLU would be right in there outraged.
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The ACLU is right, the kids don't probably have a case.
While I can understand that the Confederate flag is a sign of heritage for some, I can certainly appreciate the fact that to others, it is a sign of oppression, bigotry and the ultimate symbol of treason in this country. If the Student Code of Conduct prohibits behavior that may provoke or offend other students, then they are guilty as charged. No way in hell whipping out the "stars and bars" at a school function won't provoke or offend someone else.
They were right to be disciplined, apologies to Daisy Duke aside.
By that same tolken, I think you are 100% correct that the ACLU changes it's stance if they whip out a mexican/Che/Iranian/etc........ flag. Without question.
__________________ Patroit_in_NY is now Patriot_in_ABQ
Last edited by Patriot_in_NY; 06-05-2008 at 12:19 PM..
Notice that the ACLU says they don't have a case. I have no proof, but I'm betting if it was an Iranian flag the ACLU would be right in there outraged.
The ACLU doesn't take a political stance like that. They've defended the KKK before.
The ACLU is right, the kids don't probably have a case.
While I can understand that the Confederate flag is a sign of heritage for some, I can certainly appreciate the fact that to others, it is a sign of oppression, bigotry and the ultimate symbol of treason in this country. If the Student Code of Conduct prohibits behavior that may provoke or offend other students, then they are guilty as charged. No way in hell whipping out the "stars and bars" at a school function won't provoke or offend someone else.
They were right to be disciplined, apologies to Daisy Duke aside.
By that same tolken, I think you are 100% correct that the ACLU changes it's stance if they whip out a mexican/Che/Iranian/etc........ flag. Without question.
What I don't understand is this: they left them on their trucks, in the parking lot. So where does that stuff stop? At some point will they start policing bumper stickers, say?
Because according to the article that's all they did, have them on their trucks in the parking lot. So yes, they brought them to school, but not into school, as I understand it.
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The ACLU doesn't take a political stance like that. They've defended the KKK before.
ACLU absolutely takes political stances. Yes, they've defended the KKK. On the other hand, when G. Gordon Liddy's constitutional rights were being violated, they refused to get involved.
Where ya been bud? I was starting to get worried. I was afraid the yellow ninja might've gotten ya
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What I don't understand is this: they left them on their trucks, in the parking lot. So where does that stuff stop? At some point will they start policing bumper stickers, say?
Because according to the article that's all they did, have them on their trucks in the parking lot. So yes, they brought them to school, but not into school, as I understand it.
Actually, they (school) say's that were running around with the flag in the parking lot (of a school function). They have that right. Those kids are yahoo's that got their peepee smacked for doing something stupid.
Perhaps next time, their silly, red-neck asses will think twice before doing something else they deem "rebellious". They admit that were looking to make a statement. They did, SO DID THE SCHOOL. That's called corrective action. Happens all the time. Do something stupid, be prepared to pay the price.
I've no problem with this one.
AGAIN - I agree on the hypocrisy part. ACLU would have stepped in if they had been other types of flags.
__________________ Patroit_in_NY is now Patriot_in_ABQ
Last edited by Patriot_in_NY; 06-05-2008 at 12:29 PM..
ACLU absolutely takes political stances. Yes, they've defended the KKK. On the other hand, when G. Gordon Liddy's constitutional rights were being violated, they refused to get involved.
Where ya been bud? I was starting to get worried. I was afraid the yellow ninja might've gotten ya
But G. Gordon Liddy's "constitutional rights" didn't include freedom of speech which is the primary focus of the ACLU.
I've been real busy lately. I had a bunch of friends staying with me over the weekend and I've been crazy busy at work. No yellow ninja luckily.
Actually, they (school) say's that were running around with the flag in the parking lot (of a school function). They have that right. Those kids are yahoo's that got their peepee smacked for doing something stupid.
Perhaps next time, their silly, red-neck asses will think twice before doing something else they deem "rebellious". They admit that were looking to make a statement. They did, SO DID THE SCHOOL. That's called corrective action. Happens all the time. Do something stupid, be prepared to pay the price.
I've no problem with this one.
AGAIN - I agree on the hypocrisy part. ACLU would have stepped in if they had been other types of flags.
Quote:
School officials say at least one of the students waved and carried the flag in the parking lot.
The boys argue they never took the flags off their trucks, but they admit they brought them to the school.
Officials asked the students to remove the flags. Eventually, all three students were suspended for three days -- which, in this case, included graduation.
It just says they brought them to school. I just have a problem with it. If they were wearing flag patches on their jackets inside of school then I'm in full agreement, they should be whacked. But outside, in the school parking lot just seems a little crazy to me. Again--if they can go after these kids for having the flags on their vehicles, what's to stop some other kid from complaining about a bumper sticker or something?
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Discipline them ok, but not let them walk in their graduation? That's F'ing ridiculous. That moment is something you remember your whole life, and gives kids a sense of accomplishment for all the work they've done. Furthermore, it's not only their time, but it's a special time for the parents. I can't understand why you'd ban them from the ceremony. That screams of stupidity to me.
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"The most difficult subjects can be explained to the most slow-witted man if he has not formed any idea of them already; but the simplest thing cannot be made clear to the most intelligent man if he is firmly persuaded that he knows already, without a shadow of doubt, what is laid before him." Leo Tolstoy, 1897
Discipline them ok, but not let them walk in their graduation? That's F'ing ridiculous. That moment is something you remember your whole life, and gives kids a sense of accomplishment for all the work they've done. Furthermore, it's not only their time, but it's a special time for the parents. I can't understand why you'd ban them from the ceremony. That screams of stupidity to me.
Hard to argue there.......... It's pretty excessive.
That's what sucks about doing stupid *****............ SOMEONE ELSE always is the one that doles out the punishment and 99.9% of the time......... YOU AIN'T GONNA LIKE IT.
Words to live by that have kept me "crime free" for 40+ years.
__________________ Patroit_in_NY is now Patriot_in_ABQ
Last edited by Patriot_in_NY; 06-05-2008 at 01:03 PM..
confederate flag keeps kids from graduation
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