Flag Of Dixie Ignites Dispute At Tenn. School

[The Straight Story]

Flag Of Dixie Ignites Dispute At Tenn. School

POSTED: 11:15 am EST March 3, 2006
UPDATED: 11:27 am EST March 3, 2006

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- Wearing shirts emblazoned with the Confederate battle flag is a no-no at a Tennessee high school.

But three students and their parents said the policy violates their freedom of speech and they are going to court over it.

The youngsters said they were threatened with suspension from the Knoxville high school if they refused to cover up, or wear the shirts inside out.

An attorney for the plaintiffs said the shirts represent pride in the Southern heritage. The school said clothing that distracts attention from schoolbooks is prohibited.

http://www.local6.com/education/7649394/detail.html

[LostinVA]

1. And here we go

:popcorn:

[BushOut06]

2. Geesh, it's time to just let it go

There once was a time when I would stand up for the Confederate flag, as a symbol of "southern heritage" blah blah blah. I'm a Southerner, my family has been Southern for quite some time, and I had ancestors who fought for the Confederacy (and the Union as well). But geesh, enough is enough. Any idiot can see that the flag is offensive to a huge number of people. There are many ways to display pride in "Southern heritage" without dragging that fucking flag out.

[Clark2008]

4. There's actually more to this story than that blurb.

Not that it seems to matter.

[Solo_in_MD]

11. The problem is how many people does it something have to offend

before it is banned. Gay pride symbols are at least as offensive as the Stars & Bars in terms of people offended. How disruptive does something have to be and to whom before it is banned?

I am for tolerance so none of this bothers me, but using the concept of "if it offend or disrupts" is too squishy to be effective these days, since anyone could claim to be offended by the slightest thing. Sometimes I think that school uniforms look better and better.

Pardon my curmogeoness tonite, but its been that kind of day.

[Clark2008]

3. This isn't in Knoxville - it's in a neighboring county.

In Blount County - William Blount High School, to be exact.

I live in Knoxville, so this I know.

Wonder what else is WRONG in the article. I'm suspect now.

AP has turned into such a sucky news organization.

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

5. As a Gentleman from the South...

I would like to invite them to take a stroll down Auburn Avenue in Atlanta proudly wearing their shirts. If that doesn't appeal to them, I'll drop them at Stewart Ave.

Fucking cretins.

[Swamp Rat]

7. ... or the 9 Ward.

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

10. Heh. I'll pay for a bus ticket!

[Swamp Rat]

6. Might as well bring the Nazi flag and every other offensive symbol to

school.

"An attorney for the plaintiffs said the shirts represent pride in the Southern heritage." - THE old standard excuse for defending hate speech and death threats.

[Solon]

8. Why the battle flag?

Why not the Stainless Banner, looks to much like a flag of surrender to them perhaps?

[Toots]

9. Same thing as Gang Colors...courts have ruled schools can establish

dress codes. That dog ain't gunna hunt..