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#1 Students Kicked Off Campus for Wearing American Flag Tees
Posted: Thu May 06, 2010 4:32 pm
by frigidmagi
NBC
On any other day at Live Oak High School in Morgan Hill, Daniel Galli and his four friends would not even be noticed for wearing T-shirts with the American flag. But Cinco de Mayo is not any typical day especially on a campus with a large Mexican American student population.
Galli says he and his friends were sitting at a table during brunch break when the vice principal asked two of the boys to remove American flag bandannas that they wearing on their heads and for the others to turn their American flag T-shirts inside out. When they refused, the boys were ordered to go to the principal's office.
"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."
The boys said the administrators called their T-shirts "incendiary" that would lead to fights on campus.
"They said if we tried to go back to class with our shirts not taken off, they said it was defiance and we would get suspended," Dominic Maciel, Galli's friend, said.
The boys really had no choice, and went home to avoid suspension. They say they're angry they were not allowed to express their American pride. Their parents are just as upset, calling what happened to their children, "total nonsense."
"I think it's absolutely ridiculous," Julie Fagerstrom, Maciel's mom, said. "All they were doing was displaying their patriotic nature. They're expressing their individuality."
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.
"I think they should apologize cause it is a Mexican Heritage Day," Annicia Nunez, a Live Oak High student, said. "We don't deserve to be get disrespected like that. We wouldn't do that on Fourth of July."
As for an apology, the boys and their families say, 'fat chance.'
"I'm not going to apologize. I did nothing wrong," Galli said. "I went along with my normal day. I might have worn an American flag, but I'm an American and I'm proud to be an American."
The five boys and their families met with a Morgan Hill Unified School District official Wednesday night. The district and the school do not see eye-to-eye on the incident and released the following statement:
The district does not concur with the Live Oak High School administration's interpretation of either board or district policy related to these actions.
The boys will not be suspended and were allowed to return to school Thursday. We spotted one of them when he got to campus -- and, yes, he was sporting an American flag T-shirt.
Okay, let's get something out of the way here. These boys clearly pre-planned this. All 5 of them did not magically wake up that morning and randomly pick an American flag shirt. It was planned. And you know what? It doesn't matter. We should be free to wear the flag of our nation, within in our own damn nation. I mean fuck we let idiots wear Confederate flags for crying out loud.
Cinco De Mayo, the celebration of the defeat of a French Army on Mexican soil on May 5th 1862. That French army was there because Mexico stopped making payments on money owed to France and the French showed up to take it. Outnumbered and outgunned the Mexican Army pulled off a victory. It is a regional holiday in Mexico and not celebrated nationally. In the US it gets more attention.
And that's fine. We have other holidays like that, Saint Patrick's day comes to mind. We can have more. Let me be clear on that, I got no problem with Cinco De Mayo being a bigger holiday here then in Mexico. That's fine, we can always use another drinking night. That said, I am against the idea that it's somehow offensive to wear the American Flag, in the US on Any Day.
#2
Posted: Thu May 06, 2010 4:49 pm
by The Cleric
And conversely, if the Mexican students want to wear Mexican flag shirts on July 4th, have at it.
#3
Posted: Thu May 06, 2010 7:17 pm
by B4UTRUST
Alright. Let me make sure my understanding of this is clear.
American students. In a High School located inside the U.S. borders. Were kicked off school grounds. For wearing shirts that had American flags on them. Because it's a MEXICAN 'holiday'. That's not even recognized as a national holiday in Mexico.
*scratches his head* *looks at a map* Huh, no, apparently nobody annexed California and redrew the borders. So apparently California still is a state in the United States. *checks some other things* Hmmm, no... apparently Cinco De Mayo is not an officially recognized federal holiday in the U.S. either... Odd... I thought for sure....
So why are people bitching about someone wearing an American flag on their clothing in an American High School in an American state in the United States of America? Did anyone notice whether or not the principle refused to let the U.S. flag fly on the flagpole that day? Because Jesus if a symbol on a t-shirt offends them, I can only imagine what a 25ft long flag would do to the Mexicans. Probably send them into a riotous frenzy and the whole damned school would have burnt.
I hope someone gets shitcanned for this stupidity...
#4
Posted: Thu May 06, 2010 7:21 pm
by B4UTRUST
Found this on the school district's website under 'Breaking News'
The Morgan Hill Unified School District does not prohibit nor do we discourage wearing patriotic clothing. The incident on May 5 at Live Oak High School is extremely unfortunate. While campus safety is our primary concern and administrators made decisions yesterday in an attempt to ensure campus safety, students should not, and will not, be disciplined for wearing patriotic clothing. This matter is under investigation and appropriate action will be taken.
Breaking News!
Looks like they've been fielding phone calls, emails and general asschewings from across the country all day over this shit storm.
#5
Posted: Thu May 06, 2010 7:24 pm
by frigidmagi
And conversely, if the Mexican students want to wear Mexican flag shirts on July 4th, have at it.
We have school in July now?
#6
Posted: Thu May 06, 2010 7:30 pm
by B4UTRUST
frigidmagi wrote:And conversely, if the Mexican students want to wear Mexican flag shirts on July 4th, have at it.
We have school in July now?
Year round schools would have it, as would some private schools, etc. Though I know no school that would have school on the 4th of July in the US. Well, perhaps this school would..
#7
Posted: Thu May 06, 2010 7:35 pm
by rhoenix
I'm confused. Let's see if I can go through the steps here to see if this helps.
* Americans who have Mexican ancestry considered the American flag "incendiary" on 7/4. No explanation as to why its "incendiary" - Cinco de Mayo was a celebration of the FRENCH army getting its ass kicked by the MEXICAN army. I note a conspicuous lack of USA here.
* school administrators cave to complaints, send students who wear US flag shirts home for reasons of "sensitivity."
I'll be blunt.
I embrace the idea of multiculturalism, because America's culture overall tends to be unrespectful of tradition - many immigrants have kept what made them unique people, throwing out the dogma while embracing American values too - this is how we get awesome things like sushi with BBQ sauce, or a Mongolian BBQ steakhouse.
For this reason, I think celebrating prominent holidays of other cultures only helps America embrace its backbone of disparate immigrants, to show that no matter where your parents originally came from, you want to call this place home.
But this should not hinder celebrating our own country's pride and holidays, as they are irrespective of any other country's pride or holidays - they are to be celebrated by all who call America home, no matter their ancestry.
But if you're seriously going to claim offense to the US flag as a US citizen, you'd better be able to back up your statement with something other than a vague rendition of "waaaah."
I'd really like to know what their complaint about the US flag would be on Cinco de Mayo, but I don't think it would change my mind.
In my mind, the people complaining are either all easily offended whiners, or people looking to be on TV for fifteen seconds.
The school administrators should promptly submit themselves to medical science for future generations of scientists to puzzle over how a few select specimens of humanity managed to survive with no spine and no brain. There is literally no reason I can think of to support their decision.
#8
Posted: Thu May 06, 2010 7:52 pm
by The Cleric
frigidmagi wrote:And conversely, if the Mexican students want to wear Mexican flag shirts on July 4th, have at it.
We have school in July now?
The principle of it :P.
#9
Posted: Thu May 06, 2010 8:09 pm
by B4UTRUST
Look, as someone who was once suspended from school for something I wore, I can state this honestly from personal experience being in this type of situation.
It really is as simple as someone bitched to the principle or guidance councilor about how what the kids were wearing made them uncomfortable. There really is very little else below that surface. Someone bitched and moaned over something that someone else wore they didn't like and they were kicked out of school for it. Because we're all about protecting the feelings of those who bitch and whine.
In my case I was escorted off by a police officer and ordered to take a mental health evaluation before I was allowed back after my week suspension.
#10
Posted: Thu May 06, 2010 8:36 pm
by rhoenix
B4UTRUST wrote:In my case I was escorted off by a police officer and ordered to take a mental health evaluation before I was allowed back after my week suspension.
Wow. Ok, what did you wear?
#11
Posted: Thu May 06, 2010 8:41 pm
by B4UTRUST
Black oilskin duster.
#12
Posted: Thu May 06, 2010 8:57 pm
by Charon
Breaking News! High School rules and regs are fucking ridiculous.
#13
Posted: Thu May 06, 2010 9:07 pm
by rhoenix
B4UTRUST wrote:Black oilskin duster.
...Wow.
this was around the time of Columbine, wasn't it?
#14
Posted: Thu May 06, 2010 9:28 pm
by B4UTRUST
Windswept wrote:...Wow.
this was around the time of Columbine, wasn't it?
This interview is over...
#15
Posted: Thu May 06, 2010 9:50 pm
by Dark Silver
to be fair...
he had worn the same coat multiple times prior to said incident, it was a regular peice of apparel for him back in those days (yes, I knew him even way back then....fuck I'm old).
#16
Posted: Fri May 07, 2010 11:10 am
by The Minx
I wonder whether Irish Americans should feel offended if Americans wore an American flag while in the USA on St. Patrick's day. Or whether French Americans should feel offended at Americans for wearing an American flag while in the USA on Bastille Day. Rinse, rinse repeat for all the other 200 or so countries in the world. So I guess in order to be truly equitable we should just stop wearing American flags just in case some country or other considers it even a minor holiday.
PS: Yes, those kids were trolling. And obviously, this wouldn't be such an issue if it weren't for all the general sensitivity over illegal immigration, which many people equate with immigration from Mexico.
But the school's decision was silly just the same, and Mexican Americans should not feel "offended" by American flags being worn in America for whatever reason.
#17
Posted: Fri May 07, 2010 11:13 am
by The Minx
The Cleric wrote:And conversely, if the Mexican students want to wear Mexican flag shirts on July 4th, have at it.
This is more like Americans becoming Mexican citizens and living in Mexico being offended at Mexicans for wearing Mexican flags in their own country on Washington's Birthday.
#18
Posted: Tue May 18, 2010 11:47 am
by Jason_Firewalker
Alright, I have to say this, as a point of fact. The majority of my life has been spent living in the San Francisco Bay Area. That said, Cinco De Mayo turns into a drunken riot in several cities in the bay almost every year, with the worst offenders being San Jose, Santa Rosa, Morgan Hill (where this article takes place) and Piedmont. I have to say that in all honesty this article does not even come close to surprising me at all and I am still abashed by what occurred and embarrassed to have ever lived NEAR where that happened. The Mexican population, especially the 'Cholo' culture and the stark rise in illegal immigrants have made living in the bay at times a very hard thing to do and not be Mexican. I have actually in the past been blatantly turned down for employment for NOT being Mexican.
What makes it worse is in 2007 on Cinco De Mayo, the Canal district of San Rafael (my home town in CA) turned into little more then a drunken war zone. Almost $1million USD was done in property damage by drunk Mexicans. Seven were killed and over thirty hospitalized. My friend Samantha included amongst those headed to the hospital. All for the fact she was a white American sporting a Mexican flag on her halter top at a bar in the canal where she worked. She had a broken nose and collapsed eye orbit from when a large and burly Mexican slammed a bottle of Jack Daniel's across her face because his pal ordered whiskey instead of something more "Mexican".
I cannot stress enough that I am a very accepting person but really this "Mexican Pride" and "Cholo Pride" that is sweeping across California and other parts of the US has been overwhelmingly destructive towards the majority of people, if not financially then either emotionally or physically. I can understand that the Mexicans want their time to have pride for their heritage, but in truth the outcome of their pride, especially in recent years, is disgustingly negative in overall effect and may give them pride, but makes most of the rest of us be like 'Oh, the MEXICANS are at it again... when will they grow up?'
#19
Posted: Tue May 18, 2010 5:13 pm
by General Havoc
Strange that I never heard about these massive Mexican riots in San Rafael...
#20
Posted: Wed May 19, 2010 12:08 am
by Jason_Firewalker
first off, San Rafael likes to keep shit quiet dude, like all of Marin it likes to preserve the image of I am richer then you are and therefore better. I have pictures on my desktop back in San Rafael, if you would like. I live on a hill overlooking the canal. Got some good shots too. Also if your interested I could look back in my old journal entries from back then and send them to you. Or just have my friend show at your door and tell you her story. Really wasn't a riot so much as a northern mexican gang versus southern mexican gang battle that spilled over to innocent people.
#21
Posted: Wed May 19, 2010 7:38 pm
by Hadrianvs
Eh, just wait for the Mexicans to finish integrating. All immigrant groups go through this shit. Back in the day there used to be riots during St. Patrick's Day too. Hell, in Ireland they had a St. Patrick's day riot last year. I also point out that up until the Wilson administration's vicious anti-German campaign, you couldn't so much as buy a drink - let alone get a job - in some parts of the Midwest if you didn't speak some German.