students get sent home for wearing American Flag on Cinco De Mayo

I happen to go to Klein Collins, so here's just my thoughts on it.

Frankly, the kid in question had no right to tear down school property. If the school had asked and received permission to display it, that's fine. It was an actual Mexican flag, and I have a picture, but I'm not sure if I'm allowed to post seeing as it is a pic of the school or w/e. They say that it was placed above the American flag, seeing as the kid actually measured it. There was no U.S flag anywhere in view of it. It wasn't placed there to show superiority, it was for decoration. If you're going to get your panties in a bunch how it was "above" the ones in the first-story class rooms, then you must be ignoring the dozens of flags above it on the second floor, not to mention the U.S. flag soaring on the flagpole.

And what pisses me off the most is that, not only did he rip it down, but he threw it away. You don't like when countries desecrate our flag? Don't do it to theirs. He could have simply asked a teacher or AP about it. Was it necessary to tear it down? Or was he just seeking to be "Captain America" and get his few days of fame? Perhaps he really did have his heart on trying to adhere to America, but if this is how we view patriots, I've lost faith in our country.

That's the end of my rant. It's funny how this event has turned into a bit of a race thing at my school.

 

The title is a bit sensationalist perhaps. Watch the video first. Not sure what this guy was trying to do.


WATCH: Mexican Flag Students Assail Man in Wheelchair
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2010/05/06/california-students-sent-home-wearing-flags-cinco-mayo/

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Maybe its just me but I dont take the students side of the issue too seriously at all. I intentionally marginalize their significance. I think students care but also kinda dont care. Just looking to cut class then go hang out at the mall together.

 

Its school admin being risk averse with the knee jerk reprimand. Along with sensing Hispanics didnt take to it nicely. The kids were being bratty, but maybe not being incendiary.

From this article

I see it as Assistant Principal Miguel Rodriguez (its too obvious) either was a bit of a sympathizer for the protestors. Or he probably knew better than most how deep the sensitivities really are.

Some Mexican flags were supposedly also picked up from Mexican American students, but no one's going to pay attention to that.

 

Have you stopped to consider why they chose to wear it on May 5th, as opposed to any other day of the year?

If its clothing they regularly wear, fine. If it was somehow in response to Cinco De Mayo, then the question has to be asked -- why?

 

you are equating kids simply wearing american flag shirts w/ kids tormenting and bullying others for being 'fat' and then making whale shirts to mock the 'fat' kid. i know im not as smart as you, but even i can recognize what a stupid analogy that is.

and once again, you engage in name calling (buffoons, really?) w/ those who disagree w/ you. pathetic, but typical.

 

i would defend their right to do so. and if the school sent them home i bet there would be an uproar. but that isnt really a good analogy, imo. they are not wearing the flag of their home country in their home country, like the kids in this story were. i dont even own an american flag or american flag shirt - im not some toby keith-uber patriot dude, but i am troubled by the notion that people cant wear an american flag shirt in america.

 

so you are the only one allowed to throw out analogies? and his is much more relevant than your "fat kid being bullied" gem.

do you think a kid in mexico should be sent home for wearing a mexican flag shirt on 4th of july?

take the stick out of your ass.

 

In recent times, many people who go gangbusters with the flag tend to be anti-immigration bigots. White people don't share the burden of discrimination that minorities do and won't understand why the coordinated flag gear was an issue. For us people of color, regardless if we were born in the USA or not, we spend our entire lives being perceived by many, that we are not really American and that we are foreigners to this country. It is this burden that we carry that makes us cringe and get upset, when a group of friends purposely decide to all wear flag gear on the one day of the year, that celebrates a minority group's culture and ancestry. Unfortunately, if you haven't carried this burden, you probably won't understand.

I have a flag. I hang it out on July 4th. There is no need to have 4 flags in your front yard or on your pickup truck 24/7. It does not make you 4 times more patriotic or American.

 

wow...this is really sad. (not being sarcastic)

i'm white, and i haven't walked a mile in your shoes. my ancestors on my mom's father's side about 5 generations back came over from Ireland and faced pretty crappy discrimination as well....and ended up being drafted in the Union army not long after landing in Philly to escape war in Ireland. but generations later, that i'm of Irish descent in this country is of little consequence and I've lived a pretty sheltered life.

i'd like to know...is this the experience of MOST people who were born here who aren't white??? do MOST people who post here...who were born in the States...but who aren't white....feel this way?

i promise you this...i don't care what you look like...i perceive you to be far more american than the guy throwing the heil fuhrer in the picture you posted.

 

I think the lack of respect has been going on for several years now... on both sides.

My take on it is since we are in the United States. Our flag should trump the Mexican flag. Those kids should not have been suspended.
If we were in Mexico and it was the other way around; it would have a different outcome.

The picture below was taken in 2007
http://thelastgringo.com/wordpress/category/mexicans-speak-out/



This picture below happened in 2006
I'm not a big fan of Michelle Malkin; thats just where I found the pictures.
http://michellemalkin.com/2006/03/29/the-american-flag-comes-second/

 

I find it weird that lots of these kids have more pride in the Mexican flag than the American flag. I have some friends like that, and honestly I think they are posers because they don't know Spanish and rarely, if ever, travel to Mexico. I am all for celebrating your heritage, but these students are American citizens (well, probably most of them).

It's pretty obvious the white kids were trying to instigate something, and the kid who took down the flag should be suspended. But I dont see how you can justify telling a kid to change a shirt just because it has a US flag, even if he is being a dbag.

 

I believe is illegal to fly another country or state flag above the US in a government setting.

DD

 

This is ridiculous..funny thing is that Cinco De Mayo is all about how Mexico defeated France in one battle when they owed everybody debt and they wouldn't pay anybody back but some how it has turned into national drinking day..

 

Well, they beat France. It's not anything to go crazy about. It's like the Rockets beating the Clippers, no reason to get all excited. Independence Day (sept. 16) is much more important in Mexico.

 

not surprising that the absurdity of national/ethnic pride hasn't been expounded on in every one of these threads....

this applies perfectly here... one of those moments where George sums it up nicely... being level-headed, fair, and accurate...

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The point I'm making - again, I am kind of surprised of the level of pure, slack-jawed tard-ation that is being displayed by all those failing to comprehend it - is that in the school context, otherwise routine and innocent gestures are met with discipline when the school administrators deem it to be disruptive to the learning environment.

Accordingly you cannot file a petition for habeas corpus when sent to detention.

Do you understand this jo mama? ARe you able to comprehend it? Yes or no?

Did you not ever finish school because you were busy suing your teacher for prior restraint during quiet time?

 

It probably was fairly obvious that these kids wore American Flag t-shirts on Cinco de Mayo because they don't like the fact that a big holiday about mexicans being celebrated on American soil.

It's definitely loaded with racial undertones.

That said, it shouldn't be banned since you can't really identify the intent and it's not clear this is meant to be hostile or just an expression of free speech.

While free speech in schools is not protected...it's akin to sending home kids for wearing Mexican flags on the Fourth of July.

Was a dumb decision by the school

 

Not too many kids are in school on the 4th of July.

 

Exactly my point.

 

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2010/05/06/california-students-sent-home-wearing-flags-cinco-mayo/

Read through that and tell me that lawyers and the school district are wrong when they say the school violated their first amendment rights? Can you provide evidence that they intentionally started a fight of some sort?

If I want to wear an american flag t-shirt, I have the right to do so, that is called free speech. It's one thing to send kids home for their behavior and another to send them home over their clothing. The school did not send them home over their behavior but rather their clothing so I do not understand your point. People like you need to stop calling everyone a racist and calm down.

Our first amendment rights are something that no one can take away from us and it is the basis of our county. I support everyones right to free speech. I do not support the KKK however I do support their freedom of speech, because without that where do we draw the line? do we not let gays demonstrate? how about minorities? Who decides who does and who doesn't have free speech? that is why we afford that right to everyone!!