US students kicked of school campus for wearing US flag t-shirts

[Gandalf]

I'm sure some of those over the Atlantic will know of this story, but I have only just read about it. So, basically a bunch of American kids decided to wear clothing with the US flag on a Mexican holiday at their school. It just so happens that there are a lot of Mexican kids at the school too, so in order not to cause offence the kids were asked to take off their bandanas and turn their t-shirts inside out. They refused and subsequently got sent home.

Now is it only me that thinks that this is one serious overreaction? I mean, these kids are American and it is their own country right? Surely it's not an offence to anyone to wear your own national colours? It's like me trying to order all the Koreans to take down their national flags because it's St Georges day and they shouldn't offend me. It seems a bit ludicrous to me. If I want to be around only Mexican colours surely I should go back to Mexico? Those kids did nothing wrong in my eyes and they should not have been punished.

What are your thoughts on this? The link is kindly provided below.

Students Kicked Off Campus for Wearing American Flag Tees - NBCBAYAREA- msnbc.com

[boozeboxer]

A flag should never be worn as a garment. A bandanna should never be worn period.


However, I do believe that is infringing on first amendment rights. It could have been to protect the boys. I figured at first they had to take the shirts off because they were red and blue and the authorities were afraid of gang related things.

[Howlin Mad Missy]

"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."

It's either OK to wear or it isn't. End of.

[Gandalf]

"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."

It's either OK to wear or it isn't. End of.

I don't see why they would be sensitive about it in the first place though. I mean, you've emigrated to a country, surely it is right to show some respect and tolerance of those that want to wear their own colours. You would never catch me wearing a flag in a million years, but I don't care if others do. Why would that ever become a big deal? It's surely no reason to exclude kids from school.

I think HtH is right in saying that it is political correctness gone mad.

[HattonTheHammer]

"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."

It's either OK to wear or it isn't. End of.

I don't see why they would be sensitive about it in the first place though. I mean, you've emigrated to a country, surely it is right to show some respect and tolerance of those that want to wear their own colours. You would never catch me wearing a flag in a million years, but I don't care if others do. Why would that ever become a big deal? It's surely no reason to exclude kids from school.

I think HtH is right in saying that it is political correctness gone mad.

To be fair to myself milo i am right pretty much all of the time hence my siggy

[Kev]

"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."

It's either OK to wear or it isn't. End of.

I don't know this is one of the few times where I might actually side with political correctness.


The school just behaved appropriately. Look at the shitstorm that was cooked up in the UK a few months back when the Muslims wanted a peaceful march through Wooten Basset, which just happened to be the town famous for honouring dead UK soldiers killed in Afghanistan.

There were so many protests that they actually rushed a new law in to outlaw this groups freedom of speech in order to protect against a riot they said.

What's the difference here exactly?

They obviously don't want to risk fighting at school so they sent them home.

I seem to remember all of you being opposed to the Muslim march so why the change of heart here?

The flag wearing brigade sound like a bunch of incendiary minded twats to me.

[Gandalf]

"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."

It's either OK to wear or it isn't. End of.

I don't know this is one of the few times where I might actually side with political correctness.


The school just behaved appropriately. Look at the shitstorm that was cooked up in the UK a few months back when the Muslims wanted a peaceful march through Wooten Basset, which just happened to be the town famous for honouring dead UK soldiers killed in Afghanistan.

There were so many protests that they actually rushed a new law in to outlaw this groups freedom of speech in order to protect against a riot they said.

What's the difference here exactly?

They obviously don't want to risk fighting at school so they sent them home.

I seem to remember all of you being opposed to the Muslim march so why the change of heart here?

The flag wearing brigade sound like a bunch of incendiary minded twats to me.

But why are the Mexicans getting upset by a bunch of kids wearing a specific set of colours? Surely they need to appreciate that not everyone wants nor should need to go along with what they feel their customs are?

Fine, celebrate your day, but don't expect everyone else to chime in with the same chords. Rise above it and move on, it is a free country.

[Kev]

"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."

It's either OK to wear or it isn't. End of.

I don't know this is one of the few times where I might actually side with political correctness.


The school just behaved appropriately. Look at the shitstorm that was cooked up in the UK a few months back when the Muslims wanted a peaceful march through Wooten Basset, which just happened to be the town famous for honouring dead UK soldiers killed in Afghanistan.

There were so many protests that they actually rushed a new law in to outlaw this groups freedom of speech in order to protect against a riot they said.

What's the difference here exactly?

They obviously don't want to risk fighting at school so they sent them home.

I seem to remember all of you being opposed to the Muslim march so why the change of heart here?

The flag wearing brigade sound like a bunch of incendiary minded twats to me.

But why are the Mexicans getting upset by a bunch of kids wearing a specific set of colours? Surely they need to appreciate that not everyone wants nor should need to go along with what they feel their customs are?

Fine celebrate your day, but don't expect everyone else to chime in with the same chords. Rise above it and move on, it is a free country.

They aren't asking other people to celebrate. But deciding to wear your own flag on that day is clearly just to provoke a negative reaction, what other possible reason would there be for it other than to display aggression and hostility to the Mexicans?

How is it any different from the Wooten Bassett march? The muslims were allowed to march anywhere except through Wooten Bassett, because that is the place famous in this country for mourning our dead servicemen and women.

Clearly it was thought (by the entire non Muslim population of Britain) that the decision to march through Wooten Bassett was a deliberate attempt to dishonour our soldiers and thus there was an outcry.

How could you interprete this in any other way than to suppose they were deliberately trying to dishonour the Mexicans?

There are a lot of fucking nutters in American schools, there have even been shootings and killings so the principle obviously did what he had to do in the interests of the safety of the students and to prevent any conflict escalating.

You're arguing for the right to make a point, but surely it's more important for us to have unity and solidarity.

Instead of having a mindset of antagonism why not a mindset of friendship and empathy? Go to college, as an American and wear a Mexican flag to show your solidarity with your neighbors.

How much better would the world be if we could be just a little tolerant and inclusive rather than rant about our rights and freedoms.

[Oggie]

But to many Mexican-American students at Live Oak, this was a big deal. They say they were offended by the five boys and others for wearing American colors on a Mexican holiday.

This is the problem with people today, way too up tight about past incidents and issues. The thing is, IT'S IN THE PAST AND CAN NEVER BE CHANGED. So, why continue to make a huge deal about it? What are they achieving exactly with this unnecessary resentment (except torturing themselves)?

Now don't get me wrong, it seems the flag clothing was almost worn in provocation, but the fact is, why is it provocative to people today? What bearing has the past got on what is happening right now? Unless these Mexican students were beaten and anally raped by those same guys as they chanted 'USA! USA! USA!' or something, only then can you understand them getting upset about the situation. But, I'm guessing that never happened and they are just more of these ignorant fools that continue to live in a past that never affected them.

Hell, on St. Patrick's day this year I saw a group of English guys walking around Dublin, one was wearing an England t-shirt. Did I get offended? Of course not. I thought he was pretty brave because there are fools out there (just like our Mexican friends in this article,) but to take offense to stuff like this? I suggest you look at the bigger problems we have in the world to deal with.

[Gandalf]

I don't know this is one of the few times where I might actually side with political correctness.


The school just behaved appropriately. Look at the shitstorm that was cooked up in the UK a few months back when the Muslims wanted a peaceful march through Wooten Basset, which just happened to be the town famous for honouring dead UK soldiers killed in Afghanistan.

There were so many protests that they actually rushed a new law in to outlaw this groups freedom of speech in order to protect against a riot they said.

What's the difference here exactly?

They obviously don't want to risk fighting at school so they sent them home.

I seem to remember all of you being opposed to the Muslim march so why the change of heart here?

The flag wearing brigade sound like a bunch of incendiary minded twats to me.

But why are the Mexicans getting upset by a bunch of kids wearing a specific set of colours? Surely they need to appreciate that not everyone wants nor should need to go along with what they feel their customs are?

Fine celebrate your day, but don't expect everyone else to chime in with the same chords. Rise above it and move on, it is a free country.

They aren't asking other people to celebrate. But deciding to wear your own flag on that day is clearly just to provoke a negative reaction, what other possible reason would there be for it other than to display aggression and hostility to the Mexicans?

How is it any different from the Wooten Bassett march? The muslims were allowed to march anywhere except through Wooten Bassett, because that is the place famous in this country for mourning our dead servicemen and women.

Clearly it was thought (by the entire non Muslim population of Britain) that the decision to march through Wooten Bassett was a deliberate attempt to dishonour our soldiers and thus there was an outcry.

How could you interprete this in any other way than to suppose they were deliberately trying to dishonour the Mexicans?

There are a lot of fucking nutters in American schools, there have even been shootings and killings so the principle obviously did what he had to do in the interests of the safety of the students and to prevent any conflict escalating.

You're arguing for the right to make a point, but surely it's more important for us to have unity and solidarity.

Instead of having a mindset of antagonism why not a mindset of friendship and empathy? Go to college, as an American and wear a Mexican flag to show your solidarity with your neighbors.

How much better would the world be if we could be just a little tolerant and inclusive rather than rant about our rights and freedoms.

I can't really use your Wooten Bassett example as a point of reference because it is a story that I'm not familiar with, but I don't really see the issue with them marching from what you have said about it. We all know my viewpoints on those pointless and possibly illegal wars though. If you are silly enough to sign up, then your head is gonna get the chop. If people want to protest through the areas where the dead might be resting, then so be it. I don't see the issue with that, but like I say I will need to read about that story some more.

This story is far less problematic than dissing the dead though. Okay, these kids might have been purposely disrespectful, but so what? What you wear is your own choice. Like I've said before, I am no nationalist, but how can you really get upset by someone wearing a national flag? If someone punched me on the nose I would be upset, but to wear a flag of any nation on this earth and from any time in its history? Is that really going to insult anyone with a modicum of sense? Come on now, it is their country. Maybe the Mexican immigrants should wear half American mixed with Mexican flags considering that their quality of life is from a place that is not called Mexico. It works both ways, let the Americans be and with their possible 'attitude', and let them with their vast majority in numbers wear their Mexican colours! I really don't see the dispute.

[Violent Demise]

I don't know this is one of the few times where I might actually side with political correctness.


The school just behaved appropriately. Look at the shitstorm that was cooked up in the UK a few months back when the Muslims wanted a peaceful march through Wooten Basset, which just happened to be the town famous for honouring dead UK soldiers killed in Afghanistan.

There were so many protests that they actually rushed a new law in to outlaw this groups freedom of speech in order to protect against a riot they said.

What's the difference here exactly?

They obviously don't want to risk fighting at school so they sent them home.

I seem to remember all of you being opposed to the Muslim march so why the change of heart here?

The flag wearing brigade sound like a bunch of incendiary minded twats to me.

But why are the Mexicans getting upset by a bunch of kids wearing a specific set of colours? Surely they need to appreciate that not everyone wants nor should need to go along with what they feel their customs are?

Fine celebrate your day, but don't expect everyone else to chime in with the same chords. Rise above it and move on, it is a free country.

They aren't asking other people to celebrate. But deciding to wear your own flag on that day is clearly just to provoke a negative reaction, what other possible reason would there be for it other than to display aggression and hostility to the Mexicans?

That's pretty much it right there. They don't wear them flags any other day. Just on that day to try and get a reaction.

[HattonTheHammer]

"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."

It's either OK to wear or it isn't. End of.

I don't know this is one of the few times where I might actually side with political correctness.


The school just behaved appropriately. Look at the shitstorm that was cooked up in the UK a few months back when the Muslims wanted a peaceful march through Wooten Basset, which just happened to be the town famous for honouring dead UK soldiers killed in Afghanistan.

There were so many protests that they actually rushed a new law in to outlaw this groups freedom of speech in order to protect against a riot they said.

What's the difference here exactly?

They obviously don't want to risk fighting at school so they sent them home.

I seem to remember all of you being opposed to the Muslim march so why the change of heart here?

The flag wearing brigade sound like a bunch of incendiary minded twats to me.

sorry bill but theyre both totally different

Cant compare a hate march that has the intention to incite violence and hate to somebody wearing the colours of their own nation which they just so happen to live in!!

[Gandalf]

I love the way I am 'milo' and Bilbo is 'bill" BTW. Very funny!

[Kev]

"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."

It's either OK to wear or it isn't. End of.

I don't know this is one of the few times where I might actually side with political correctness.


The school just behaved appropriately. Look at the shitstorm that was cooked up in the UK a few months back when the Muslims wanted a peaceful march through Wooten Basset, which just happened to be the town famous for honouring dead UK soldiers killed in Afghanistan.

There were so many protests that they actually rushed a new law in to outlaw this groups freedom of speech in order to protect against a riot they said.

What's the difference here exactly?

They obviously don't want to risk fighting at school so they sent them home.

I seem to remember all of you being opposed to the Muslim march so why the change of heart here?

The flag wearing brigade sound like a bunch of incendiary minded twats to me.

sorry bill but theyre both totally different

Cant compare a hate march that has the intention to incite violence and hate to somebody wearing the colours of their own nation which they just so happen to live in!!

Can you not see the flaw in your logic here? None of the marchers claimed it was a hate march. It was just a peaceful march that just happened to include Wooten Basset. It was those who took offence (i.e the British people) that decided it was a hate march and an incitement to violence.

This is the same here. The flag wearing students insist they did nothing wrong and just happened to choose to wear these particular t-shirts on this day, but the Mexicans clearly felt they were being disrespected and targeted.

And those muslims, (and the Mexicans) just happen to live in these countries too.

[HattonTheHammer]

I don't know this is one of the few times where I might actually side with political correctness.


The school just behaved appropriately. Look at the shitstorm that was cooked up in the UK a few months back when the Muslims wanted a peaceful march through Wooten Basset, which just happened to be the town famous for honouring dead UK soldiers killed in Afghanistan.

There were so many protests that they actually rushed a new law in to outlaw this groups freedom of speech in order to protect against a riot they said.

What's the difference here exactly?

They obviously don't want to risk fighting at school so they sent them home.

I seem to remember all of you being opposed to the Muslim march so why the change of heart here?

The flag wearing brigade sound like a bunch of incendiary minded twats to me.

sorry bill but theyre both totally different

Cant compare a hate march that has the intention to incite violence and hate to somebody wearing the colours of their own nation which they just so happen to live in!!

Can you not see the flaw in your logic here? None of the marchers claimed it was a hate march. It was just a peaceful march that just happened to include Wooten Basset. It was those who took offence (i.e the British people) that decided it was a hate march and an incitement to violence.

This is the same here. The flag wearing students insist they did nothing wrong and just happened to choose to wear these particular t-shirts on this day, but the Mexicans clearly felt they were being disrespected and targeted.

And those muslims, (and the Mexicans) just happen to live in these countries too.

Its a fundementalist march held on the very same day and in the very same place that dead soliders are being carried through the streets. If that isnt a hate march i dont know what is.

This is the equivelant of myself not being allowed to wear my england top on the day eid or whatever the hell they celebrate.