School District: Actually We Should Not Be Disciplining Students For Wearing Patriotic Clothes

A follow up to the Cinco de Mayo story I blogged about yesterday.

The district superintendent issued a statement making it clear that the action taken by the principal does not reflect district policy. The statement doesn't include an apology or indicate any disciplinary action will be taken against the principal.

Of course there was a reaction from Mexican students yesterday.

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.

Ah yes, demanding that Americans be suspended for having the temerity to wear the American flag really fosters 'respect' and 'unity'. Surrendering to a cancerous form of political correctness represents neither of those ideas.

Meanwhile, lefty blogger Charles Johnson terms the whole situation a wignut "notroversy" (no link you can Google "lgf outrageous outrage of the day" if you want to see it).

What school principal wouldn’t have done the same thing? Don’t they have a responsibility to maintain order in school? And if so, isn’t it blindingly obvious that they need to take action when students do things that are designed to create conflict and bad feelings?

How would these bloggers feel if a group of Mexican students came to a school event wearing Mexican flags on July 4th? You can just imagine their overheated reactions. The hypocrisy reeks.

It takes a special type of lunacy to think that in America the American flag is a provocative symbol that needs to be banned to maintain order.

Now, I do agree that principals have a responsibility to maintain order. For that reason any student that threatened violence or actually committed a violent act should be suspended, expelled and criminally prosecuted.

Here's a newsflash for Chas and others...Mexicans demanding respect and primacy for their national pride and culture in the US creates "conflicts and bad feelings". I can assure you that wearing American flag apparel on say, St. Patrick's Day or Columbus Day will not lead to bad feelings by Irish or Italian-Americans. There would be no need to send home anyone who wore a US or even a Mexican flag shirt to school that day.

What's the difference Charles?

I honestly don't hold the kids of Mexican descent responsible for their feelings. We have failed them by creating an education system and society that doesn't demand that there be some shared some sense of American identity. We always here the left talk about the need to capitalize on 'teachable moments'. Well, here's an ideal opportunity to explain to these students the traditional concept of the American melting pot.

posted by DrewM. at 02:53 PM

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